Harry Potter: Jedi Mage
by substitutingrealitywithmyown
Summary: Slight crossover SW, this will have the Force and some other parts of the Star Wars universe. Starts during the battle of the DOM just as Hermione gets cursed, follow along as Harry learns about his heritage as well as have the world come crashing down around him. Rated M for safety, will have swearing, some romance possible adult situation later on, On hiatus, my muse abandoned me
1. Heritage Unleashed

**_Disclaimer__: Harry Potter and Star Wars are NOT mine; I'm just having some fun with two of my favorite series both movie and literary._**_ Enjoy_**  
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** With a cry of triumph, both [Death Eaters] yelled, "**_**IMPEDIMENTA**_**!"**

** Harry, Hermione, and Neville were all knocked backward off their feet. Neville was thrown over the desk and disappeared from view, Hermione smashed into a bookcase and was promptly deluged in a cascade of heavy books; the back of Harry's head slammed into the stone wall behind him, tiny lights burst in front of his eyes, and for a moment he was too dizzy and bewildered to react.**

** "****WE'VE GOT HIM!" yelled the Death Eater nearest Harry, "IN AN OFFICE OFF—"**

** "**_**Silencio**_**!" cried Hermione, and the man's voice was extinguished. He continued to mouth through the hole in his mask, but no sound came out; he was thrust aside by his fellow.**

** "**_**Petrificus Totalus**_**!" shouted Harry, as the second Death Eater raised his wand. His arms and legs snapped together and he fell forward, facedown onto the rug at Harry's feet, stiff as a board and unable to move at all.**

** "****Well done, Ha—"**

** But the Death Eater Hermione had just struck dumb made a sudden slashing movement with his wand from which flew a streak of what looked like purple flame. It passed right across Hermione's chest; she gave a tiny "oh!" as though of surprise and then crumpled onto the floor where she lay motionless.**

** "****HERMIONE!"**

Harry's eyes widened as he knelt down next to Hermione. All noise around him seemed to vanish as he watched Hermione's blouse turn dark red as blood seeped from her wound. "No!" Harry gasped as he gingerly touched the rapidly growing puddle of blood pooling next to Hermione. Suddenly Harry grabbed his head as it felt like his skull was being spilt in two, the feeling was different than when Snape would mind-rape him, this feeling came from within his being. The splitting headache was joined by a feeling as if someone was squeezing his heart and chest in a vice. "NO! Hermione, don't be dead!" Harry wailed. "Please Mione, I can't lose you. I love you, please Hermione!"

Neville crawled over to Harry, and gripped Hermione's wrist. The round boy's features brightened when he felt a faint pulse. "Harry, she's got a pulse but it's weak. We need to get her to a Healer fast or…"

Behind the two boys, the Death Eater Antonin Dolohov cackled insanely. "Oh so Potter loved the Mudblood did he? Well, it looks like she's done for, just like that disgusting Mudblood mother of yours. I heard she begged for her life like a dog when our Master came for you, but she didn't deserve…urk!"

Dolohov's rant was suddenly cut off as Harry stuck his hand out toward the dark-haired Death Eater, his fingers clawed. Dolohov gasped as he felt something tighten around his throat, cutting off all air.

"Don't you dare say anything about my mother or Hermione!" Harry snarled. Dolohov's eyes widened as he saw that Potter's eyes were flashing, their normal emerald green color switching between that and yellow. Harry's hand tightened into a fist, and with a strangled gurgle Dolohov felt his throat give way. Harry released the Death Eater, who collapsed to the floor unmoving.

"Harry," Neville whispered fearfully as Harry turned his flashing gaze to the Longbottom heir. Seeing the fear in Neville's eyes, Harry froze and took a deep shuddering breath. Harry closed his eyes and when he opened them again, they had returned to their brilliant emerald, though with a fire burning in them. He looked down at Hermione, and slowly brushed her hair from her face.

"Please hang on Mione, I love you so much, I can't stand to you lose you," Harry whispered. While he was talking to the unresponsive girl, his other hand was glowing blue and slowly tracing along her wound, the bleeding slowed and color began to return to her face.

"What did you do?" Neville asked in amazement.

"I put her in a trance to help with the healing, though she still needs professional help," Harry responded, his voice sounding years older than he was. "Stay with her Neville, I need to finish this."

Neville nodded numbly as Harry rose to his feet and raced off after the other Death Eaters, vanishing off in a burst of speed that Neville had never seen Harry perform. Harry blurred through the Department of Mysteries, striking down several Death Eaters with cutting or slashing hexes, summoning their wands and snapping them without stopping.

"HARRY!" a familiar voice cried as Harry entered a dimly lit chamber that looked strikingly like the Wizengamont chamber that Harry had been tried over the summer. Harry looked up to see Sirius, Remus and several of members of the Order burst through a door opposite Harry. Glaring down at the floor of the chamber, Harry saw that several Death Eaters had survived his purge. Bellatrix Lestrange, Lucius Malfoy and three others that Harry didn't recognize.

"_Avada Kedavra!_" Bellatrix cried. A green bolt of lighting spat from her wand and streaked toward the assembled Order members. The Order scattered, diving for cover as the curse streaked over their heads before crashing into the doorframe, sending splinters flying everywhere.

"Bellatrix! Malfoy!" Harry roared, his voice echoing all around the chamber, causing dust to fall from the ceiling. "Drop your wands and surrender or I will not hesitate to end your lives!"

Malfoy and Bellatrix both laughed. "Come now Potter, you don't have the guts to kill us," Malfoy cackled. "You're Dumbledore's golden boy, how would he feel if you killed."

"It doesn't matter what Dumbledore thinks," Harry growled, his eyes flashing yellow once again. "Why don't you ask Dolohov if I have the guts…oh wait, I already killed him, so he won't be talking anymore." Silence fell over the chamber as this fact settled over its occupants.

"You're lying Potter, you can't kill someone," Malfoy cried.

"You don't know anything about me Malfoy," Harry snapped at the blonde, his eyes still flashing. "I've killed before, your boss three times, Quirrell and a sixty-foot basilisk, so adding Dolohov to the tally isn't that big of a deal. But you're right, I won't kill you, at least not yet." Harry raised his hands and made two claws, feeling the same power flowing through his veins that had when he killed Dolohov. The Order gasped as Bellatrix and Malfoy slowly began to rise into the air, clawing at their throats. An evil grin spread over Harry's face as he tightened his hands.

"HARRY! Stop!" Sirius cried out. Harry turned toward his godfather with burning eyes. Sirius shivered under Harry's gaze. Harry turned back to the two senior Death Eaters and saw that they were still clawing at their throats but their faces were quickly reddening. He wrenched his hands together, and the two Death Eaters slammed together with an audible CRACK! Several of the Order members winced at the sound as Bellatrix and Lucius slumped to the ground. Harry quickly conjured some chains and bound the two unconscious Death Eaters. He then turned to the remaining Death Eaters who were starring at Harry. Harry slashed his wand through the air and the remaining Death Eaters suddenly found themselves bound in heavy chains.

"Harry!" Sirius and Remus shouted as they rushed over to the dark-haired boy.

"What was that!?" Sirius asked, grabbing his godson by the shoulders.

"Harry, you did wandless magic!" Remus exclaimed. "Since when have you…"

"It wasn't magic," Harry muttered. "There was this voice in my head telling me what to do…" Harry flinched as he felt a darkness appear above them, just as his scar burned hotly. "Voldemort's here!"

"What!" Sirius and Remus gasped.

"He's upstairs, probably in the Atrium waiting to ambush us," Harry said, wincing as his scar burned hotter than before.

"Dumbledore should be here in minutes, he'll be able to hold Voldemort off," Sirius said.

"No, it's not Dumbledore Voldemort is after, it's me," Harry said quietly. "He knows that I'm here too and is waiting for me. He's also really angry due to the fact that his minions haven't brought him this thing," Harry continued, pulling a smoky blue sphere from his pocket.

"Harry, is that?" Remus gasped.

"Yeah, it's a prophecy sphere and it had Dumbledore's name on it along with Trelawney's, Voldemort's and a smudged name that look like two initials only," Harry said. "I'm guessing this is what you and the Order has been guarding all year?" Sirius and Remus nodded. "Well, Padfoot, hold on to it, I have some unfinished business with Thomas upstairs."

"Wait, what!" the pair of Marauders asked but before they could get an answer from Harry, he had blurred out of sight. "Did he just Apparate?" Sirius asked Remus. The werewolf shrugged.

"Who's Thomas?" Remus asked.

"No clue but Harry's probably gone after Voldemort up in the Atrium," Sirius paled. "There's no way he could take on Voldemort now, only Dumbledore can."

Remus nodded and the pair rushed off to the lifts.

"Come on out Thomas, I know you are here," Harry shouted as he stepped out of the lifts into the Atrium of the Ministry. The darkness that Harry felt down in the DOM was nothing compared to what he felt now, it was overwhelming and stifling as if he was in a furnace. Harry grit his teeth as he felt Voldemort's anger at Harry's casual use of his birth name flood over their connection.

"You dare call me by that filthy Muggle name," Voldemort snarled as he appeared in a swirl of darkness.

"Oh come now Tom, it's only polite that we use our names," Harry said cheerfully, though inside he was nearly frozen in fear, and the anger pulsing behind his scar didn't help. Though in the back of his mind, Harry felt an enormous spring of 'something' welling up inside him. Its voice was soothing and calming, battling the anger and fear that was building inside him.

'_Fear is not something to be afraid of, though you must master it if you are to overcome it,_' the voice whispered. '_Let your feelings guide you and relinquish yourself to the Force._'

Then a second voice whispered in Harry's head. It spoke of power, sweet and sugary. '_This person has hurt you, use that anger and make him feel your pain. You are strong, do not let those who are weaker than you control you._'

Harry's eyes flashed yellowy-green as he and Voldemort circled each other like wolves circling a kill. An evil grin twisted Harry's mouth as he raised his hands, blue-white lighting cackling around his fingers. "Thomas, it is time that you felt the true power of the Dark Side," Harry cried as he let loose the lighting toward Voldemort. Riddle raised a shield, laughing madly. That laughter died quickly as his shield faltered and shattered against Harry's attack. Voldemort collapsed to the floor of the Atrium in agony as lighting raced along every inch of his body, it was twice as painful as the most powerful _Crucio_.

A whoosh of flame signaled the arrival of someone through the Floo. It was Dumbledore. The aged mage walked into the Atrium, calm and collected, but the sight before him made his blood run cold. Harry Potter was sneering down at Voldemort, lighting flowing from his outstretched hands. Voldemort was rolling on the Atrium floor, screaming in pain, his robes smoldering.

"Harry!" Dumbledore cried in shock and fear. Harry turned to Dumbledore, who started as he saw that Harry's normally emerald eyes were tinged yellow. Harry locked eyes with the Headmaster and a shudder ran through the boy. The lighting ceased and Harry collapsed to the floor. Voldemort panted as he struggled to his feet.

"Fool!" he hissed, still panting in pain. "You shall pay for that Potter, but first, I will have that power!" The Dark Lord vanished into smoke. Dumbledore's eyes widened as Harry suddenly stiffened.

Inside Harry's mind, a fierce four-way battle was being waged. Harry was stunned to see two Voldemorts before him, at his side was a glowing woman with flowing red hair and his own eyes.

"Mum!" Harry gasped.

"Hello dear," Lily Potter smiled at her son. "I'm so glad to see you but now isn't the time to talk. We have to get Riddle out of your head before Albus decides to cut his losses and try and kill you both."

"What!" Harry cried.

"Not now Harry, I will explain everything later," Lily said. "But now, focus on driving out Voldemort."

"I don't know if I can," Harry gasped. "I'm lousy at Occlumency."

"No dear, what Snivellus taught you wasn't Occlumency, he was just opening your mind up to Voldemort," Lily snarled. "I said I will explain everything later, right now focus everything on forcing Voldemort out. You can do this; I can only do so much. You have the power."

"I'm not that strong Mum," Harry whispered, sounding like a small child.

"Petunia and Dumbledore are lucky that I can't affect the physical world but we will be having words when they cross over," Lily growled. "Harry, son, you can do this. You just have to believe in yourself, I believe in you Harry."

"You do?" Harry asked softly.

"Of course Harry dear, it's a parents' duty to believe in their children," Lily said. "James and I know that you can do anything that you set your mind too. We love you Harry, so does that girlfriend of yours," she added with a teasing smile.

"Hermione!" Harry gasped, blushing heavily. "She does?" he asked in a quiet, child-like voice.

"Yes, she does love you. Why do you think she followed you on this fool's errand," Lily chided. Harry ducked his head in shame. "Harry, I'm not mad at you. You thought that Sirius was in trouble and wanted to help him." The twin Voldemorts screamed as a pulse of light engulfed Harry and Lily. "That's it Harry. You have the capacity to be the greatest Jedi Mage ever; it lies in your capacity to love. No matter what anyone says, you do have people who love you."

Harry turned to his mother with a broad smile and tears flowing down his cheeks. "You have no idea how long I've wanted for someone to say that to me," he whispered as he hugged Lily. The redhead had to fight back tears of her own, though these were mixed with tears of rage.

'_No child should have had to live a life devoid of love like you have Harry,_' Lily thought. '_Voldemort and all others shall pay for what they've done to my baby!_' she vowed.

"Do you really think that a mere child has the power to defeat me, Lord Voldemort, the greatest wizard of all time, the Darkest wizard of them all," Voldemort shouted.

"Oh be quiet Thomas," Lily retorted. "I've had enough of your pathetic whining, Harry dear, if you would?"

"Yes Mum," Harry said, feeling an immensely warm feeling spring up inside him at those words.

"Now Harry channel that feeling, let it flow through you," Lily instructed. "Don't guide it, just let it do the work."

Harry did as he was told and let go. The warm feeling grew inside him until he was fit to burst, he held the feeling in until he no longer could hold and then he let go. A massive surge of light burst from Harry's body and spread out across the vast void separating Harry and Lily and the two Voldemorts. The cackling Voldemorts immediately fell silent as the light wave surged toward them. They both tried to raise shields but those shields instantly shattered as the wave touched the magic. Both Voldemorts howled in rage and pain as they were overcome by the wave of light, the second Voldemort seemed to shrivel up before vanishing into thin air. The larger Voldemort disappeared with a loud 'pop' and then Harry and Lily were alone.

"Mum," Harry whispered, his voice sounding like a small child. Lily had to fight off the thought of strangling her sister for what she did to Harry growing up.

"It's ok Harry, you've done it. You were able to banish that foul bastard from you head," Lily said. "The link is gone for good, no more visions or nightmares coming from Riddle. Now Harry, you need to go to Gringotts and see James' and mine Wills, as well as there is something for you in our vault that will help you learn of your heritage from my side of the family. My family has had a special relationship with both Magic and the Force."

"The Force?" Harry asked.

"All will be made clear once you visit the vault," Lily said. "Now I believe its time for you return to the present. Remember, get to Gringotts as soon as possible and take my trunk. There is a glowing blue cube that you will need to learn how to control your powers."

"Ok Mum, I just wish that you didn't have to go," Harry whispered. "I've already lost you once, and now it feels like I'm losing you again."

"You never lost me Harry, or your father," Lily said softly. "You are a part of us, and as long as you think of us, we will be there. Now go!"

There was a flash of light and Harry gasped. His eyes flew open in time to see a mass of dark shadow being expelled from his body and then solidify into Voldemort. The Dark Lord was panting heavily, as sweat dripped down his snakelike face.

"Harry!" Dumbledore cried out.

Harry turned to see the Headmaster looking down at him with wide eyes. While it looked like Dumbledore was surprised and happy that Harry had recovered, though reaching out Harry could 'feel' an underlying current of anger in the Headmaster.

"What is this power?" Voldemort growled. "I am Lord Voldemort, the most powerful wizard ever. I will not be ignored!" A Killing Curse spat from Voldemort's wand and sped toward Harry. Harry shoved the Headmaster aside and rolled away, avoiding the curse, which smashed into the wood floor of the Atrium, and creating a small burnt crater.

"_Reducto!_" Harry shouted. A large bolt of blue magic shot out of Harry's wand. Voldemort sneered and casually raised a shield. The blasting hex slammed into the shield, which held but several cracks appeared in it, causing Voldemort's eyes to widen. "_Diffindo!_" Harry barked once again.

Voldemort spun out of the way before sending another Killing Curse at Harry, who dove behind the security guard's desk. The wooden desk burst into flames as the curse impacted it.

"Harry, stay there, I'll deal with Tom," Dumbledore ordered as he flicked his wand and the statue of Magical Brethren came alive and the statues charged Riddle. Harry stuck his head out from behind the desk to see the epic duel between the two magical titans. Whatever his mother had said against Dumbledore, Harry couldn't help but admire the old man's magical skills as he battled Voldemort. A whooshing sound caught Harry's attention. Dozens of the Ministry's Floos started up and out came dozens of Ministerial workers including Fudge and Amelia Bones.

The battle between Dumbledore and Voldemort paused as they saw the new spectators. A sneer appeared on Voldemort's face as he took in the new arrivals. With one fluid movement, the Dark Lord sent several Killing Curses toward the crowd.

"No!" Harry roared as he flung out his hands. A wave of power burst forth from Harry and sent many of the Ministry workers tumbling to the floor, including Fudge and Bones, and the Killing Curses crashed into a couple of the fireplaces, shattering them. With a savage snarl, Voldemort glared at Harry before whipping his cloak around him and vanishing from the Atrium.

"That was…" a Ministry worker whispered.

"As you can see Cornelius, Mr. Potter and I were not lying when we told you that Lord Voldemort had returned last year," Dumbledore announced as he approached the Minister.

"Dumbledore!" Fudge cried. "Aurors! Arrest him!"

"Cornelius, I am able and willing to fight your men once again, and win once again," Dumbledore boomed. "But I do not have time to deal with your short-sightedness at this time. I must send Mr. Potter back to Hogwarts, and…"

"Potter! Harry Potter," Fudge barked.

Harry walked around the desk and over to the Minister, gripping his wand in his pocket. "Yes Minister, as Dumbledore has told you, Voldemort is back like I said at the end of the Triwizard Tournament. But what did you call me…oh right, an attention seeking lunatic, or a dangerous and disturbed boy with delusions of grandeur," Harry growled, glaring down at the shorter man.

Fudge gulped as many Ministry workers turned toward him, including Madam Bones. "Cornelius, is this true?" she asked darkly.

"There was no proof, they were trying to destabilize the Ministry!" Fudge exclaimed, his eyes wide and fearful.

"I don't care about the Ministry," Harry retorted. "You have already made clear that you don't care about the people you are supposed to protect! How could you send Dementors to a SCHOOL two years ago, then allow an event that was stopped due to the DEATH TOLL and finally you send that sadistic bitch, Umbridge, to teach Defense, when she didn't even pass her Defence OWL. Oh and did you know that she TORTURED us with a BLOOD QUILL in detentions! Or was going to use the Cruciatus Curse on me and was the one who sent those Dementors after me last summer." Silence hemmed in on the Minister as he was pinned by dozens of stares from various Ministry officials including Madam Bones. "All you care about is getting gold put in your pockets!"

"How dare you, Potter! You're just a child, you have no idea how this world works," Fudge shouted.

"I might be only 15 but a child I am not! Allow me to reintroduce myself," Harry growled, his eyes glowing. "I am Lord Harrison James Potter, Head of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter!" There was a flash of light and a gold ring appeared on his right hand ring finger.

The air seemed to still in the Atrium at this announcement. Until, "That's impossible!" Fudge roared. "You are not of age, you can't be a Lord!"

"For the Minister for Magic, you certainly don't know your own laws," Harry chided. "The last member of a House can take up the Head of House mantle once they turn 13, and even so thanks to the Ministry's own ineptitude I'm considered an adult because of my inclusion in the Triwizard Tournament last year. I find it interesting that the Heads of all three schools, one of whom was the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamont and the ICW, as well as the former Heads of the Departments of Magical Cooperation and Games and Sports allowed someone under 17 to compete when the rules clearly stated that my name could be withdrawn by the time of the First Task." Harry turned to pin Dumbledore with a Killing Curse-eyed glare. "But for some reason, I wasn't informed of this option, in fact all I was told was that I had to compete."

"But we were told that you wanted to compete," Bones said.

"Who said that?" Harry growled.

"Dumbledore and Crouch announced it the next morning," Amelia said. "They both said that you were excited and willing to participate."

"That's a bald-face lie!" Harry roared. He spun toward Dumbledore, and began storming toward him, his eyes glowing and magic boiling over. "You TOLD me that I had to compete, it wasn't until after the First Task that I found that the rules for the Tournament in the Library. Why is that _Headmaster_? Why were the rules not in the Library before the Tournament but only after the First Task when it was too late for someone to be withdrawn?"

Dumbledore looked down at Harry, with wide eyes though Harry could feel the rage coiling underneath the Headmaster's façade of shock and calm, rage that was directed at him. "Harry, this isn't the place to air these types of questions. We need to get you back to Hogwarts where it is safe."

"You think I'm safe at Hogwarts, I've had my life threatened at the castle more times than I can count," Harry shouted. "At least three times every year I've been at school. And in the last three years, the Ministry has been culpable in almost all of those attempts. Fudge, you're lucky that I don't declare a blood feud against you for all that you've done against me and my family."

"WHAT!" Fudge roared. "I've done nothing…"

"Sent the Dementors to Hogwarts, sent Umbridge to Hogwarts, smear my and my family's name through the mud all this year because you couldn't be half-arsed to actually do your job and check my claims that Voldemort had returned, just to name a few." Fudge fumed but stayed mercifully silent.

"Harry my boy, we must get you back to Hogwarts where you will be safe," Dumbledore said in his best grandfatherly tone.

"I will return to Hogwarts later Headmaster, I need to check on my friends," Harry snapped. "Hermione needs immediate medical attention."

"Don't worry my boy, I'm sure she will be fine," Dumbledore said breezily. "Now then."

"Back off Dumbledore, it seems to me that you aren't very concerned that one of _your_ students is lying injured, possibly mortally, and yet you don't want to find her medical attention right away."

Several whispers were heard behind the pair as the Ministry infighting had died down for the moment.

"Mr. Potter, what were you doing here?" Madam Bones asked. "And you brought other students with you?"

"Yes," Harry sighed, trying to quell the growing feeling of guilt at the fact that he had led his friends into a trap. "Me, Ron and Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood came with me because Voldemort planted an image in my head, showing that he was torturing someone close to me."

"You-Know-Who is in your head!" Bones exclaimed.

"He was, but not anymore," Harry said. "The night that he killed my parents, his curse backfired and created a link between us, but its gone now." Dumbledore froze and looked at Harry with a calculating gaze but Harry ignored him.

"I led them into a trap, where twelve Death Eaters were waiting for us, including most of the Azkaban escapees and Lucius Malfoy," Harry said.

"Lucius Malfoy is no more a Death Eater than I am!" Fudge roared. "You are lying boy!"

"Go down to the Department of Mysteries and check for yourself!" Harry shouted back. "He and Bellatrix should still be tied up in that room with the Arch, Dolohov is dead in one of the offices, and there are several others scattered down there."

"Aurors! Get down there," Bones boomed.

"Some of my friends were injured when we were trying to get out, so if you could send down some Healers with them, that would be much appreciated," Harry said.

Bones nodded. "Of course, though I don't appreciate a school-boy giving me orders Mr. Potter," she said.

"Sorry Madam Bones but its been a long night," Harry said.

"Yes it has Mr. Potter, now if you please allow me to send you back to Hogwarts, we have much to discuss," Dumbledore said.

"Not yet Dumbledore," Harry argued. "I'll return to Hogwarts once I know that Hermione and the others are ok. And my name is Lord Potter."

Dumbledore frowned as he whipped out his wand and sent a quick spell at Harry's robes. However, a shield appeared in front of Harry and reflected the spell back at Dumbledore. The reflection was so quick that Dumbledore didn't have time to dodge or cancel the spell and his robes glowed blue for a second before he vanished in a rush of light.

"What was that Lord Potter?" Madam Bones asked.

"Dumbledore shot a spell at me and I reflected it back at him," Harry said. "It seems that he was trying to turn my robes into a Portkey against my will. Am I wrong in thinking that that is illegal? And it's Harry or Mr. Potter if you have to be formal; I haven't done anything to earn my family's title. I only use it to annoy Dumbledore and Fudge."

"You are correct Mr. Potter," Bones said. "The creation of a Portkey is regulated by the Ministry, and the casting of the spell upon a person is highly illegal. Are you thinking of pressing charges?"

"I would but I know that it wouldn't do any good," Harry said. "I've recently discovered that Dumbledore has been taking quite a few liberties when it comes to my welfare."

The monocle in Madam Bones' eye came dangerously close to falling out. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"This isn't something that should be discussed freely, also did you know that my godfather, Sirius Black, was sent to Azkaban without a trial," Harry commented. "How is it that my _godfather_ was 'convicted' of betraying my parents and me, when his oath as godfather would strip him of his magic if he did anything to place me in harms way."

Madam Bones froze as this information sunk in. "But Dumbledore said that Black was your parents' Secret Keeper?" she said.

"Of course he did, he couldn't have my _legal_ guardian having custody of me," Harry growled. They reached the lifts and each fell silent as they descended to the DOM. As soon as the lift doors opened, Harry flew out of the lift and raced toward Neville, who was carrying Hermione in his arms.

"How is she?" Harry asked forcefully as he skidded to a stop.

"Not good," Neville said. "She needs a Healer soon, whatever you did helped but it's not enough."

Harry nodded and turned to Madam Bones. "Director Bones, we need a healer here now," Harry barked. Behind them, the lift pinged once more and the doors opened. Dumbledore stepped out, a frown on his normally cheery face.

"Harry my boy, you must return to Hogwarts," Dumbledore said. "It's not safe here."

"Like its any safer at Hogwarts," Harry retorted. "Surely you can trust the Director of the Magical Law Enforcement Department to keep me safe, or better yet, how about you trust me?"

"Whatever do you mean my boy, of course I trust you," Dumbledore soothed.

"Really, is that why you haven't spoken three words to me since last summer? Or had me locked up at Privet Drive over the summer without allowing my friends to write me?" Harry growled. "Or what about the fact that you have had me followed over the holidays, and yet I still had to fight off two Dementors! So excuse me for not agreeing with your assessment of your trust."

Dumbledore's frown grew at Harry's answer. Amelia looked from Harry to Dumbledore. "Albus, is this true?" she asked.

"Harry's safety is paramount in all this," Dumbledore said with a twinkly eye. "If you would excuse us?"

"No!" Harry snapped. "I refuse to go anywhere with you Dumbledore! If you had just told me what was going on, we wouldn't be in this situation. And where is that HEALER!"

A yellow robbed Healer appeared around Dumbledore and raced toward Hermione and Neville. After a moment's pause, the Healer turned to Madam Bones and said, "This girl is in serious need of St. Mungo's. We need to get her there now. Do you know what curse she was struck with?"

"It looked like a purple flame, the caster, Dolohov, was silenced so I didn't hear a incantation," Harry said quickly. The Healer paled.

"I know that curse well, and the caster," the man growled. "She's lucky that Dolohov was silenced, the curse is much less powerful silent than when the caster speaks the incantation. She's lucky that she wasn't cut in half."

Harry paled and wobbled at the thought that Hermione might have been killed, and because of his stubbornness. "Can you help her? I'll pay for anything and everything she needs," Harry said.

The Healer nodded. "Thank you, I'll take her to St. Mungo's now," he said, pulling a coin from his pocket. He had Neville lay Hermione on the floor and placed the coin on her forehead and tapped it. Hermione and the Healer vanished in a swirl of light.

"Now that that's been taken care of, Harry I must insist that you accompany me back to Hogwarts," Dumbledore said. "We have much to discuss."

"Yes we do Headmaster, like why you have been keeping this prophecy from me," Harry said. "Why were your and Professor Trelawney's initials on the tag? Did you have any intention of telling me about it? Why did Voldemort want this so badly that he tricked me into thinking that he had captured Sirius? Also, what took you all so long, Snape knew that we were planning on leaving, yet you all turned up an hour after we arrived!"

"Harry, this isn't the place to discuss these things," Dumbledore said. "And Severus only got word to me a short time ago."

"So Snape decided to let us run off to the Ministry when he knew that it was most likely a trap and didn't see to inform you, and you say he's your most trusted member of the Order!" Harry ranted. "We could have all been killed before any of you got here, and Voldemort would have gotten this thing and then where would we be?"

"I'm sure Severus knew what he was doing," Dumbledore chided. "He must have thought to wait to see if you truly did leave for the Ministry. And Harry, why would you leave Hogwarts?"

"I thought that Voldemort was torturing my godfather!" Harry roared. "How was I supposed to know it was a fake vision, the one that Voldemort sent me over Christmas was real!"

"That was why you must learn Occlumency, didn't Severus teach you how to close your mind?"

"OF COURSE NOT, SNAPE HATES ME!" Harry roared; the hallway shuddered over the force of Harry's boiling magic. "All he did was tell me to 'clear my mind' and then used a full powered attack!"

"WHAT!" Amelia cried. "That doesn't help protect someone's mind, it destroys any natural defenses the person might have and makes it easier for someone to read a person's mind."

Harry's face darkened, while Dumbledore's face paled. "I knew it!" Harry growled. "Snape was making it easier for Voldemort to send my visions, that's why my scar always hurt more after those so-called 'lessons'."

"I'm sure Severus felt that it was the best way to deal with the problem," Dumbledore said. Harry, Amelia and Neville looked at the Headmaster in shock. "No matter though, Harry, we must return to Hogwarts."

"Bollocks to that Dumbledore, I'm not going anywhere with you," Harry snapped. "I'm going to find Remus and see if the rest of my friends are ok."

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that Harry, it's for the Greater Good that you listen to me," Dumbledore said, drawing his wand.

"So are you going to block my magic again, eh Dumbledore?" Harry asked quietly. "Going to try and mold me into a pliable little martyr that follows you blindly."

Dumbledore looked stunned at Harry. "Do you truly think that I think so little of you Harry, that you are just a puppet to me?" he asked in a sad tone.

"Don't try and guilt trip old man," Harry growled. "I know that you've been keeping things from me, for my supposed 'own good' but I should be the one who decides that, or my guardian…of whom you are not a part of," Harry continued as Dumbledore looked to interrupt. "Care to tell the Director of the DMLE why my _Godfather_ was locked up in Azkaban for twelve years without a trial, when it was magically impossible for him to have betrayed my parents and me!"

"Now isn't the time to be discussing this," Dumbledore said. "We need to return to my office and…"

"Are you deaf old man!?" Harry barked. "I'm not going anywhere with you! Director Bones is there anything you need me or Neville for, I would like to go St. Mungo's to check on Hermione."

"Of course Mr. Potter, if you and Mr. Longbottom would follow me, I'll escort you two to St. Mungo's," Amelia said. "If you would excuse us Albus, I'm sure we'll be having words sometime soon."

Dumbledore felt something that he hadn't felt in a very long time; a shiver went up his spine at the thought of having to explain his actions to Amelia Bones. He watched as the grey-haired woman walk with the two children of prophecy down the hallway and disappears into the lifts.

"Harry!" Remus Lupin cried out as Harry stepped out of the lift back in the Atrium, a large black dog looping at his side.

"Hey Moony, Snuffles, we're about to go to St. Mungo's to check on Hermione," Harry said.

"But what about Dumbledore, he said that you had gone back to Hogwarts," Remus said.

"Albus Dumbledore has no authority over me outside of being my Headmaster, for too long has he made decisions on my behalf without even asking my opinion," Harry growled. "No more."

Remus looked stunned at Harry's words but Snuffles barked happily next to the werewolf. Harry grabbed some Floo powder from next to the fireplace and called out "St. Mungo's!" before vanishing in a swirl of green flames.

**A/N: This is just a rough draft of this chapter but I thought I'd post it. Please leave any ideas on how to make it better.**

**S.R.W.M.O**


	2. Feelings Unraveled

**Disclaimer: The works of _Harry Potter_ and _Star Wars _aren't mine, just having some fun with them in the process.**

Harry, Neville and Madam Bones tumbled out of the fireplace in the lobby of St. Mungo's, and into the chaos of the hospital. Healers and Aurors were rushing back and forth through the lobby, loud voices cackled through the room as Healers barked orders to the scrambling Aurors and Ministry personal.

"Where's Hermione Granger?" Harry asked a passing Healer.

"Step aside boy, I don't have time for you," the Healer growled. Harry frowned as he grabbed the Healer's arm. "Now see here boy, I don't know who you think you are…"

"My name is Lord Harrison James Potter! And I want to know where Miss Hermione Granger is being treated!" Harry roared. All noise stopped in the lobby, and every head turned to Harry. "She was brought in ten minutes ago under the orders of Madam Amelia Bones, Director of the Magical Law Department, due to her injuries in the recent attack on the Ministry by Voldemort!"

The Healer shivered at the name. He turned to see Madam Bones glaring at him along with another young man with light brown hair and brown eyes. "My apologies my Lord, let me find out where Miss Granger is being treated," the Healer said. Harry nodded.

"I apologize for my behavior as well, it's been a long and exhausting night," Harry said. "And thank you."

The Healer nodded before he vanished into the throng of people. Neville pulled Harry over to a lounge and pushed him into a seat. "Harry I know that you want to make sure that Hermione is ok but you need to calm down," Neville said. "And now everyone will know that you've taken up your Lordship, are you sure that you want that?"

"I already announced it in front of Fudge, so it will be front-page news," Harry sighed. "And with me doing that, I can get out from under Dumbledore's thumb."

"Yeah mate, what's up with you and the Headmaster? You really let him have it at the Ministry," Neville asked.

"I've recently learned that he has been taking some liberties with my family's vaults and my well-being too," Harry said. "He made sure that I had to go to my relative's house instead of with Sirius by sealing my parents' Will. If he had allowed that to be read, Sirius wouldn't have spent more than a couple weeks at most in Azkaban, though he shouldn't have anyway since he was thrown in there without a trial."

Neville's eyes widened. "He wouldn't do that, would he?" the brown haired boy asked.

"Dumbledore has taken a vested interest in me since day one, he was the one who left me at the Dursleys, he's kept my heritage from me, he forced me into the Triwizard Tournament when he could have kept me out and this past year, he just stood back and let Umbridge take over the school. So I wouldn't be surprised if he's done stuff to others as well, maybe you."

"What do you mean? Why would Dumbledore do something to me?"

"I don't know, it's just this feeling," Harry said. "I've recently found out why I trust my feelings so much, and that they've rarely led me astray."

"Ah Lord Potter, there you are," the Healer that Harry had accosted earlier approached. "Miss Granger is recovering in the fourth floor ward for Spell Damage, if you are willing I can escort up to her?"

"That would be much appreciated," Harry said. "How is she?"

"The Dark Flame curse is one that we've seen before, namely the last War," the Healer said. "So we were able to halt the damage before it spread too far but…"

"But what?" Harry asked sharply.

"Lord Potter, how close are you to Miss Granger?" the Healer asked softly. Harry blinked and considered the question. '_How close was he to Hermione,_' Harry thought.

"Well…she's my best friend, and I believe that I'm hers," Harry said. "We've been together since our first year at Hogwarts. I trust her more than anyone I know and I don't know what I would do without her in my life."

The Healer nodded. "I see, while we were able to stop the spread of the curse's effects, there is a chance that some permanent damage has already been done," he said. "What you must realize is that that particular curse was designed for internal damage, not external. It focuses on your internal body structure and organs. However the Healer who brought Miss Granger in said that the curse was cast silently, so there were some different effects. There were more physical and external damage, though most of the internal damage was focused near Miss Granger's reproductive system."

Harry and Neville blushed. "What does that mean?" Harry asked quietly.

"There's a chance that Miss Granger may never have children," the Healer said emotionlessly. The color drained from Harry and Neville's faces.

"Have Hermione's parents been told?" Neville asked as Harry had slumped into his seat and put his hands in his face.

"No, they are Muggles," the Healer snapped. "They can't even come here, Miss Granger's magical guardian has been notified."

"WHAT?" Harry roared. "You haven't notified Hermione's parents! Just because they are Muggles! What kind of doctor are you? They are her parents, they deserve to know what has happened to their daughter!"

The Healer staggered backward from the magical pressure emanating from Harry. Neville was also glaring at the Healer and adding his own magical presence to Harry's.

"What is going on here?" a familiar voice boomed out. It was Director Bones.

"This _man_ refuses to contact Hermione's parents about her injuries because they are Muggles!" Harry roared, still glaring at the Healer, his eyes starting to turn yellow. Director Bones turned to the shivering Healer with steely eyes.

"Is this true?" she asked quietly but with an undercurrent of steel. The Healer nodded numbly.

"Director, Muggles can't come into St. Mungo's, so what's the point of alerting them if they can't even see their daughter," the man stammered.

"That's bollocks!" Harry roared. "Even if they can't come to the hospital, they should still be told that their daughter is hurt and in the hospital. And why can't they come, I'm sure that someone could make them a Portkey to the lobby or have them Floo in."

"You're correct Lord Potter, it is possible for Muggles to come to St. Mungo's through the options that you discussed. I will have an Auror pick them up immediately," Amelia said.

"Just make sure they aren't Kingsley Shacklebolt, Mad-Eye Moody or Nymphodora Tonks," Harry said. He raised a hand to stall Director Bones' response, "I know that they are very good Aurors but they are also members of Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix and I don't know how well I can trust them. I don't know who they answer to; you or Dumbledore?"

Amelia Bones' face would have sent a dementor packing in its ferocity. "I see, thank you for your comments Lord Potter, I will attend to Miss Granger's parents myself. Do you know where she lives?"

"Somewhere in Kensington," Harry said. "Hermione doesn't like to talk about her home life that much though."

Director Bones nodded. "I will check with our Records department and return as soon as I can with Ms. Granger's parents," she said.

"Thank you Director Bones," Harry said. The gray-haired witch nodded before leaving the floor. Harry then turned to the Healer. "You were saying about Muggles not being able to come to St. Mungo's?" The Healer paled to the color of spoiled milk and began sputtering incoherently. "I don't have time for you or your petty bigotry, just tell me where Hermione is?" he ordered.

The Healer pointed Harry and Neville to one of the wards and watched as the two young men disappear into the ward, thanking Merlin that he still had his head after opening his mouth in front of Lord Potter and Director Bones.

Harry and Neville burst into the ward and sped toward the far end of the hall where Hermione was lying on a bed surrounded by three Healers. "What are you two doing in here?" one of the Healers barked.

"I am Lord Potter and this is Neville Longbottom, we're here to see how Hermione is doing," Harry barked. The Healers froze at Harry's announcement.

"Of course my Lord," the eldest Healer said. "Ms. Granger is unconscious at the moment, though we have cleaned her wounds and banished the Dark Magic residue from them, though we won't know if there are any lingering effects from the curse for a couple of days. Also there is…"

"One of the Healers outside spoke of the possibility that Hermione won't be able to have children," Harry said without inflection. "Surely magic can heal that?"

"Magic can do many wondrous and terrible things Lord Potter, but we dare not attempt anything like that unless we have Ms. Granger's or her parents consent. And even then, there is a chance that it won't work. The reproductive system of witches and wizards are very unstable things, especially when damaged. Anymore magic could destroy any hope left."

"I see," Harry said, trying to keep the overwhelming guilt building up inside him from exploding out. "May we stay here? I don't want to let her out of my sight right now, also Madam Bones said that she would be collecting Hermione's parents shortly, do you mind if I tell them what has befallen their daughter?"

The Healer looked at the world-weary young man. "You may Lord Potter but I shall be there as well to help," he said.

"Thank you," Harry said pulling a chair up to Hermione's bed. "When will she wake?"

"We don't know, her magical core is vastly depleted but is 'recharging' as we speak so it shouldn't be very long," the Healer said. "If you'd excuse me, I have some other patients to attend too?"

"Of course sir, and thank you," Harry said before turning to the sleeping/unconscious young woman before him. Neville took up station at Harry's side.

Harry didn't know how long he sat there but suddenly he was jolted from his trance by the sounding of a crashing door and the shout of an extremely mad and worried woman. Turning in his seat, he saw three people storming up the ward. One looked like an older version of Hermione with blue eyes, obviously Hermione's mother, another was a well-built middle-aged man with light brown hair and Hermione's deep hazel eyes, her father, trailing behind the Grangers was Amelia Bones.

"Where is my BABY!" Mrs. Granger screamed as she tore up the ward. "What happened!"

"I can answer that Mrs. Granger," Harry said softly, stepping aside to let the Grangers sit next to their daughter.

"Who are you?" Mr. Granger barked, his temper flaring at the fact that his daughter was lying unmoving in a hospital bed.

"Harry Potter sir," Harry answered. "I'm Hermione best friend from school and the reason your daughter is in the predicament that she is in."

"That's a lie Harry," a soft yet strained voice said from the bed. It was Hermione.

"Hermione," the Grangers gasped. Harry's head spun like a top so fast that he nearly broke his neck.

"Mione!" he sobbed, falling to his knees at the foot of her bed.

"Mum, Daddy, what are you doing here? Where am I?" Hermione asked.

"You're at St. Mungo's Mione, you were cursed by Dolohov in the DOM," Harry said weakly.

"Oh," Hermione said, her hand gently running along her pink scar. "Was anyone else hurt?"

"I don't know, once I saw you get hit…" Harry paused. "I kind of lost it. And after sending Voldemort packing, I came to find you. Obviously Neville is fine, and from what I saw Luna is ok too."

"What about Ron and Ginny?" she asked.

"I don't know, I _needed_ to make sure that you were ok," Harry answered with a fierce blush. The Grangers both arched an eyebrow at this interaction between her daughter and the boy that had both dominated Hermione's letters home and had admitted that he was the reason she was in the hospital.

"Ok hold on a moment," Mr. Granger said. "You're the reason my daughter is in the hospital?" he voice rising with each word.

"That's enough Daddy," Hermione snapped. "Harry isn't to blame, Voldemort and the man who cursed me are. Harry, I know what you're thinking." Harry's head shot up. "You're thinking that you're at fault because Ron, Ginny, Luna, Neville and I followed you willingly to the Ministry. You told us not to follow you, you knew that it was a trap but was willing to go anyway. We all decided to follow you, to make sure that you didn't get hurt. We, I, knew what we were going into."

"But…"

"Enough Harry," Hermione interrupted. "You aren't at fault for this anymore than you are for Pettigrew killing Cedric or Voldemort murdering your parents." Harry flinched. "I'm sorry Harry but you're not responsible for every bad thing that has happened to someone."

"I know that," Harry snapped. "It's just growing up I was always blamed for everything that happened around the house…" he trailed off as his eyes widened in fear. The Grangers looked at Harry with something akin to shock, Hermione's eyes welled with tears.

"Harry, what do you mean by that?" she asked quietly.

"You know that my relatives don't like me very much…actually that's an understatement, they hate me," Harry said. "Growing up, whenever something went wrong around the house or anything that went wrong at all in their lives, I was to blame. And they made me realize that. They made it clear that they never wanted me…" The floodgates opened and Harry emptied his soul to the Grangers and Neville, telling them everything about his life with the Dursleys; the cupboard, not knowing his own name until he was five, no presents for Christmas or birthdays, the beatings and being locked up over the summer.

Silence reined in the hospital ward as the Grangers, Hermione and Neville tried to wrap their minds around Harry's story. "Why haven't you told anyone about this?" Mrs. Granger asked. "That's child abuse, no that's torture! Your relatives should be arrested and thrown in prison for what they've done."

"Surely you've told Dumbledore about this Harry?" Hermione asked. "He can do something to help you."

Harry laughed bitterly to the shock of Hermione. "Dumbledore was the one who left me at the Dursleys in the first place," Harry said. "He left me on the doorstep like a bottle of milk. He had to have known about it because he's had people watching me ever since my parents were killed."

Hermione's eyes widened. "But that would mean?"

Harry nodded. "Dumbledore has some type of agenda for me, something that I don't have any say in," he growled. "He tried to keep me from seeing you after you were hurt. He even tried to kidnap me in front of the Minister by turning my robes into a Portkey."

"But that's illegal!" Hermione gasped. "The creation of Portkeys are strictly regulated by the Ministry."

"Well that didn't stop him," Harry muttered. "I wouldn't be surprised if he comes barging in here any moment. He says that he 'has' to speak with me but he's been hiding to many things from me for me to ever trust him again."

"But Harry, he's Dumbledore. He's the leader of Light, surely you're exaggerating," Hermione cried. Harry frowned; something in the back of his mind was tingling, telling him that something wasn't right. He slowly drew his wand.

"Hermione, I need you to trust me," Harry said.

"Of course I trust you Harry," Hermione responded instantly. Harry nodded and raised his wand. "What are you doing Harry?"

"If I'm right, then setting you free," he answered. Gathering as much of his magic as he could, Harry concentrated and incanted, "_Finite Incantatem!_" A white bolt of magic spat from Harry's wand and engulfed Hermione, causing her to flop back onto her bed and pass out.

"What have you done to my DAUGHTER?" Mr. Granger roared.

"Mr. Granger please calm down, if I was right Hermione will be fine," Harry said. "But Dumbledore has another thing to answer for," he grumbled.

"What happened?" Hermione groaned as she came to a moment later.

"How do you feel Mione?" he asked.

"Like a herd of hippogriffs just stampeded through my head," she muttered. Harry and Neville chuckled at her statement.

"How do you feel about Dumbledore?" Harry asked sharply.

"He's our Headmaster but I think that he doesn't see the forest for the trees," she said. "He only cares about the big picture and seemingly knows more than he lets on. I've had suspicions about our first year with the Sorcerer's Stone that he set us up. Those protections were perfectly suited for each of you, Ron, bloody hell, even Neville for that Devil's Snare and me. Also, why didn't Sirius get a trial when Dumbledore was the Chief Warlock, the lead judge of our courts, even when all the other Death Eaters got a trial or pleaded the _Imperious_? Also this past summer he takes me from my parents and orders us not to send you any letters, or at least anything meaningful? He doesn't have that right!"

Harry nodded. "Dumbledore does have something to answer for," he growled. "He put some type of charm on you, making it hard for you to disagree with anything he said. I think it was a type of loyalty charm that took advantage of your high trust in authority figures."

Hermione looked furious. "I'm going to tear that whiskered bastard a new one," she snarled. Mr. and Mrs. Granger blinked at their daughter's language.

"Language Hermione," Harry chided much to the amusement of Neville and the elder Grangers. Hermione huffed and crossed her arms, then flinched as her wound twisted. "Lay down Mione, you shouldn't be moving around so much. The Healers said that you would be ok but your scar would be sore for a week or so."

The Grangers exchanged a glance at Harry's gentle persuading of their daughter. Neville hid a grin at the interaction of the pair; he knew that Harry felt strongly for Hermione, he had see that during the battle, and Neville knew that Hermione felt just as strongly for Harry. It was amusing that two of the bravest people he knew could be so scared when it came to admitting their own feelings.

The doors to the ward burst open; Harry whirled around, his wand tracking along with Neville next to him. Mr. Granger stepped in front of his wife and daughter. It was Dumbledore, along with Mr. Weasley and Kingsley Shacklebolt.

"Harry my boy, there you are," Dumbledore said genially. "You've led us on a merry chase but now it's time to come along. There is much we need to discuss when we return to the castle."

"I agree Dumbledore," Harry replied, using the Headmaster's given name as the Headmaster had used his own. "But I will return to the castle when I am good and ready, and not a moment sooner."

Harry caught Dumbledore's eye twitch as Mr. Weasley and Kingsley gaped at him from behind the elderly man. "I have had enough of your disrespect Harry, you will accompany me back to Hogwarts now," Dumbledore thundered. "We need to have a discussion about your attitude."

"Sod off old man," Harry retorted. "You have no power here. We're not at Hogwarts, I'm not a member of your precious Order, nor do you have any legal right to order where I can and can't go. You may think you do but since my _godfather_ was never convicted of any crimes, Magic still recognizes him as my guardian. You will leave now Headmaster before I force you too leave."

"Harry please, we're only doing what's best," Mr. Weasley pleaded.

"I'm sure you think that Mr. Weasley, but I refuse to go anywhere with the Headmaster without someone I can trust, and even then it's a strong possibility that I will not go," Harry said. "For too long have I allowed people to walk all over me and get there way, while they claim 'its for my own good.' Well no more. I make my own decisions now."

"What are you doing here Albus?" a welcome voice barked from the doorway behind the trio of Order members. It was Amelia Bones. "You have no business here, return to Hogwarts."

"I'm afraid you are mistaken Amelia," Dumbledore answered. "These students must return to Hogwarts for care where they belong."

"My daughter isn't going anywhere until those doctors clear her," Mr. Granger shouted. "And I want some answers as to why she is even here in the first place?"

Dumbledore made to speak but Hermione cut him off from her bed. She quickly told the tale of Harry's vision, their attempts to contact Sirius both at home and to get word to the Order via Snape, getting caught by Umbridge (she included Umbridge's attempt to use the Cruciatus Curse on Harry much to the fury of Madam Bones), the group's flight from the Forbidden Forest on thestrals. She then spoke of their arrival at the Ministry, their trek through the bowels of Ministry, the battle against the Death Eaters. Harry and Neville took up the tale after Hermione reached the point when Dolohov cursed her.

Harry told Mr. Granger about killing Dolohov somehow, battling Voldemort in the Atrium as well as in his own head. He didn't speak of his mother appearing before him or destroying the piece of Voldemort that was in his scar. Neville finished the tale when he noticed that Harry could go no farther, his friend was emotionally spent. Neville also noticed that Harry didn't tell the group about his confession to Hermione, the brown-haired boy caught Harry's eye and Harry gave him a miniscule shake of his head.

"I see," Mr. Granger said. "So you were tricked into leaving school because this Voldy-guy put something into your head?"

"That's right sir," Harry said softly. "The Headmaster had our most hated professor 'try' and teach me how to block them but it seems that all he did was make them worse."

Mr. Granger turned to Dumbledore, who was looking somewhat pale but still confident. Mr. Granger took three steps forward and planted his fist into the old man's stomach. Everyone in the ward was stunned frozen at the sight of a Muggle man striking the most powerful man in the wizarding world. Dumbledore clutched his stomach as he fell to his knees in shock, gasping for breath.

"You're the reason my daughter is in the hospital with a disgusting scar across her chest," Mr. Granger roared. "I will kill to protect her, and it seems to me that _you_ are the problem. And HOW DARE YOU USE MAGIC ON MY DAUGHTER?!"

Dumbledore paled drastically behind his beard. "Yes Dumbledore, we figured out that you placed some type of loyalty charm on Hermione," Harry growled. "You needed someone close to me to make sure that you were kept in the loop of our lives. Ron is a terrible spy; he can't keep a secret for his life much like Hagrid, so you had to use Hermione. But of course, she normally wouldn't go along with it, she might have thought that telling a professor was a good idea if we were doing something stupid but I always wondered why she didn't come to me about my Firebolt in third year. I would have agreed with her to have it checked out since we didn't know who had sent it. But then again, I haven't received any mail that wasn't controlled by you all my life so you knew that whoever sent the Firebolt didn't mean to harm me, but you used Hermione's trust in authority to try and drive us apart, didn't you?"

No answer was needed as Dumbledore's face lost all color. "Get out," Harry hissed, his voice dropping several octaves. "If you aren't out of this ward in ten seconds, I will make you a permanent resident," he threatened.

Dumbledore swelled indigently. "You can't hope to best me Harry," he rumbled. "Now I've had enough of your disobedience and disrespect. You will accompany me back to Hogwarts where we will discuss your punishment."

"Ten!" Harry barked. He thrust his hand forward, and 'pushed' with all his will. Dumbledore smirked smugly for a spilt second before he was sent careening down the hall and slammed into the wall and crumpled to the floor.

"Aurors!" Madam Bones snapped. The door flew open and three blue robed Aurors stepped through. "I want you to 'escort' Dumbledore to the DMLE and put him in a holding cell, I need to have a word with the Headmaster." The Aurors blinked at the order but seeing the look in their boss' eye, they quickly followed through, slapping anti-apparition, magic suppressing cuffs on the old man and then dragging him from the ward.

"My apologies for that, and rest assured I will make sure that he pays for his crimes," Director Bones said. "No one is above the law, not even Albus Dumbledore."

"Thank you," Mr. Granger said. The doors to the ward opened once more and a yellow robed Healer entered; it was older Healer that had discussed Hermione's injuries to Harry and Neville earlier.

"Ah Miss Granger, you're awake," the Healer said. He looked around. "Would you mind stepping back so I might check my patient?" he asked. Harry, Neville, Director Bones and the Grangers stepped back to allow the Healer to approach Hermione. He waved his wand over Hermione a few times, a floating quill writing notes on a piece of parchment next to him. Harry noticed that the Healer's face seemed to darken as time went on. He gave Hermione a blue potion to drink and stepped back from the bed, and turned to the others.

"Lord Potter, did you have a chance to discuss with Miss Granger or her parents the extent of her injuries?" the Healer asked. Harry shook his head.

"There hasn't been time and I wanted to wait until Mione was awake," he said quietly.

"What's going on? What's wrong with Hermione?" Mrs. Granger asked, her voice cracking.

"Mr. and Mrs. Granger, the curse your daughter was struck with is Dark Magic, made to cut through nearly anything. It was fortunate that the curse was used without an incantation as it was much less powerful than it could have been, however that came at a price as well," the Healer said.

"What do you mean? Hermione's going to be all right, right?" Mr. Granger asked frantically.

"She will make a full recovery, however the curse did some damage to several of Miss Granger's internal organs, namely her…"

"There's a chance that Hermione might not be able to have children," Harry said tonelessly. Utter despair flashed across the Granger's faces.

"No, that can't be," wailed Mrs. Granger.

"Surely you can do something, I mean you use magic!" Mr. Granger shouted.

"A person's reproductive system is a very delicate thing, especially a witch's," the Healer said. "Any more magic used, even to try healing the damage could cause irreversible damage to Ms. Granger. Right now, all we can do is wait and hope that the damage is not too extensive. Once Ms. Granger's magical core has stabilized, we may be able to fix the damage but there is a chance that the damage might be too much."

The Grangers collapsed into chairs next to Hermione's bed; Mrs. Granger putting her face in her hands, great sobs wracking her body. Mr. Granger had his arm around his wife as tears poured down his cheeks and his gaze fixated on his unconscious daughter.

"How long until Hermione wakes up?" Harry asked softly.

"A couple of hours at the earliest," the Healer said. "She needs time to recover her strength and hearing this will only hinder her body's magic ability to heal herself."

"Thank you Healer…" Harry began but trailed off as he realized he didn't know the man's name.

"Kringle, Samuel Kringle," the man said with a small smile.

"Thank you Healer Kringle," Harry finished, extending his hand. Kringle shook it firmly before nodding to the others and leaving the ward.

"Harry, you know that we need to head back to Hogwarts," Neville said. "Hermione will be fine."

"Go ahead Neville, I'm staying right here until Mione wakes up and then I'm going to beg her to still be my friend after what I've done," Harry said firmly. Mr. Granger looked at Harry through narrowed eyes, this was the boy who said that he was the reason that his little princess was in the hospital and possibly couldn't have children. Just the thought of this _boy_ being in the same room as Hermione made Richard Granger want to strangle him but he also remembered what Hermione had said during the little time she was awake about how this _Harry_ had always blamed himself for anything that went wrong, even if it wasn't his fault. '_I'll wait until Hermione wakes up, and then its time to get some answers,'_ Richard thought.

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Awareness flooded Hermione Granger's mind as she opened her eyes wearily. She was lying in an unfamiliar bed under a bright white ceiling. The last thing she could remember was a wall of purple flame racing toward her, then Harry shouting something at her, waking briefly by her parents and then nothing. Lifting her head, Hermione saw an unruly mop of jet-black hair was lying at the foot of her bed. '_Harry!_' she realized. On the other side of the bed, she recognized two other figures, there was a copy of her own bushy brown hair that had been tamed with age, and a man with light brown hair, holding the other woman. '_Mum, Daddy,_' Hermione thought. '_What are they doing…_' she trailed off in thought as more flashes of memory came back to her.

She remembered telling Harry off, as he believed it was his fault that she was here in the first place. '_That boy, he's too noble for his own good,_' she mused. Then a confrontation with the Headmaster, rage coursed through her as Hermione remembered Harry finding out about a loyalty charm that the Headmaster had placed on her. He had wanted her to spy and report on Harry, on all his movements within the castle and he used her trust in authority figures to do so.

"Hermione, no don't! Please don't be dead Mione," a mumbled voice brought Hermione from her musing. "You can't be dead, I love you Mione, please it's all my fault."

Shock tore through Hermione's body as she recognized the mumblings. It was Harry. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked down at the black-haired boy who she had been harboring feelings for, for nearly three years. Reaching down, she gently brushed aside the bangs of Harry's mop of hair to revel a furrowed brow that looked older than the 15 years that it should have. Gasping, Hermione noticed that the famous lighting bolt scar that had adorned Harry's forehead like a curse had greatly faded, now it looked like nothing more than a pencil line drawn on his skin. Hermione leaned down and gently caressed the faded scar, and to her amazement the furrows on Harry's forehead seemed to smooth and Harry himself shuddered and then relax into a peaceful sleep. Smiling gently, Hermione laid back down on the bed and succumbed to Morpheus' embrace once more.

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The next thing Hermione knew was the sound of several voices arguing around her drawing her forcibly from her slumber. She opened her eyes slowly, blinking cutely as the room came into focus.

"What's going on?" she asked. The room fell silent at her question. A familiar face came into her vision. It was Harry.

"Hey there Mione, how you feeling?" he asked softly. Hermione couldn't help the soft smile that crossed her face at his caring.

"Better but still sore," she answered. "What's with all the yelling?"

Harry swallowed and licked his lips, drawing Hermione's eyes to them. She snapped her gaze back to Harry's eyes when he spoke. "Well, we," here he indicated himself, her parents, and the Healers, "were _discussing_ the best way to tell you…" Harry trailed off as a haunted look came over his face.

"What's wrong Harry?" Hermione asked quietly. "Tell me what?"

Harry looked up at her father, who nodded. "Hermione, the curse that hit you did some pretty bad damage to your internal organs, including your…" he blushed heavily at this.

"My what?" Hermione asked, fear filling her.

"Your…um…your baby-making organs," he sputtered out. Hermione's face flushed then drastically paled as the news sank in. Harry couldn't bear to look her in the eyes. "I'm so sorry Mione, if I had just listened to you, none of this would have happened," he sobbed. "Please forgive me!"

The Grangers looked at Harry in shock, torn with anger and sadness. They could see that the boy cared deeply for Hermione, and believed that he was the cause of her injuries. Mr. Granger agreed with him to an extent but he also knew that this boy wasn't truly at fault. He had seen the same reaction during his time in the Queen's Service with those who came back from missions uninjured while others came back badly injured or not at all. Survivor's guilt.

"Harry," Hermione said softly. "Please look at me." Harry slowly raised his head, his normally bright emerald eyes dulled and ringed red and puffy. She reached down and cupped his face gently. "Harry, you have nothing to blame yourself for," she said. "I messed up, I didn't think that the Death Eaters could use silent casting. I should have been more prepared."

"But…but what about your…you know, your injuries?" Harry asked, glancing down at her legs. Hermione blushed.

"Well, yes, it's unfortunate and all but it's better then being dead," Hermione said, though her lip was trembling. Harry could tell that Hermione was bottling everything up. "And even if I can't have children anymore, there are other ways, adoption and in-vitro fertilization…" Harry nodded. "But Harry, you are not at fault for this, it's the Death Eaters, Voldemort and mine own. I know you think that everything bad that happens is your fault but it's not, stop being selfish and let me…everyone help you. You don't have to do this alone."

Harry looked back up at Hermione and saw that her caramel brown eyes were glistening with unshed tears. "You'll help me?" he whispered, child-like as if he had done something wrong.

Hermione nodded, letting her tears fall. "Of course Harry, I will always help you," she said gingerly pulling him into a hug. Harry returned the embrace, mindful of her injury and position. Then his walls, the barriers that he had erected in order to survive the Dursleys and his first few years in the wizarding world shattered and soul-wrenching sobs wracked his body as he finally let loose with all the emotions that he had bottled up since he could remember.

"It's ok Harry, let it out," Hermione whispered as she rubbed circles on Harry's back. The Grangers were stunned at the outpouring of emotion coming from the boy…no _young man_ in front of them. Hermione had told them of Harry's story, losing his parents at the age of one, being ridiculed, feared or called a cheat for things outside his control, seeing a classmate killed in front of him before seeing the _thing_ that killed his parents resurrected right before his eyes. It seemed that he had been holding everything in for an extremely long time and this was the first time that he had let his emotions go, allowing himself to grieve for those lost, to be afraid, to be angry.

Slowly Harry's body stopped shaking, though he was now shivering as if cold. Mrs. Granger could see that Harry was emotionally and physically at the end of his rope. "Come along Harry dear, why don't you lay down? You look like you could use the rest," she said, gently prying the spent boy from her daughter's grasp and steering him to an empty bed. Harry put up a token resistance but was so exhausted that he succumbed to Mrs. Granger's decision. He was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. Healer Kringle came by and checked Hermione over once more before proclaiming that her magical core was recharging well, her injuries had healed though they still needed to wait a week or two before they would know for sure if any permanent damage had been done to her. The Healer also looked over Harry, and found that Harry was suffering from shock and magical exhaustion but his core was recharging rapidly and he would most likely awake within an hour or two.

True to the Healer's word, Harry woke roughly ninety minutes later, feeling refreshed and recharged. Slipping out of the hospital bed he made his way over to Hermione's bed, where he found her sitting up talking with her parents. He froze, not wanting to interrupt a family meeting. Harry was just about to turn away when Hermione spotted him.

"Harry, you're awake!" she cried. She made to get out of bed but her mother stopped her while her father stepped up to Harry.

"So you're Harry Potter," Mr. Granger said, eyeing Harry up. To Harry it was much like Dumbledore's twinkly eye thing or McGonagall's glare, though much worse. "You're the reason she might not have children ever," Harry winced at this (somewhat) true accusation, Hermione cried in the background but Mr. Granger ignored her. "You are also the reason my princess has been happy, has made friends at your school. I don't like you Harry Potter, you're dangerous to be around and I don't like how close you are to my daughter but I also know that you are the reason she's alive today. So for that I thank you."

Harry was floored. "Thank you sir but just so you know, Hermione has saved my hide more times than I can count. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be here," he said. Mr. Granger arched an eyebrow at Harry's response and out of the corner of his eye saw Hermione blush heavily. He extended his hand and waited. Harry looked down at the hand, then up at Mr. Granger's face then to Hermione who's mouth had fallen open. Steeling himself, Harry shook Mr. Granger's hand firmly.

Mr. Granger leaned forward and whispered, "You will watch yourself around my daughter, you're dangerous and I don't like how close you are to Hermione." Harry's eyes widened at Mr. Granger's threat but nodded.

"I will protect Mione with my life sir," Harry said. "I failed to protect her this time but I swear to you that it won't happen again."

"HARRY!" Hermione cried as a flash of light swirled around Harry, signifying his taking of an oath. "Do you realize what you've done? You just took a magical oath, if you fail you'll lose your magic!"

Harry blinked. "I don't care Mione, you're more important than my magic, you're the most important person in my life," he said with hesitation. Hermione's eyes widened nearly comically at Harry's declaration, then she blushed heavily and looked away. Mr. and Mrs. Granger looked at each other, Mrs. Granger hiding a smile while Mr. Granger cutting off a frown.

"I think these two need to have a talk," Mrs. Granger told her husband. "Why don't we go find something to eat and leave these two alone for a moment?" Mr. Granger looked ready to disagree but a hard look from his wife cut him off. "Hermione, your father and I will be back in a moment."

"Ok Mum," Hermione said. The Grangers left Harry and Hermione alone. "So Harry, did you mean what you said? That I was more important than magic."


	3. Feelings Returned and Schemes Unleashed

**Disclaimer: The works of _Harry Potter_ and _Star Wars_ aren't mine, they are the property of JK Rowling and George Lucas respectively. I'm just having some fun in their massively diverse sandboxes. **

"Harry, look at me," Hermione said softly. Harry reluctantly raised his head and met Hermione's chocolate brown gaze. "Am I really more important than your magic? Could you really give it all up?"

"Of course Mione, you've been the one constant in my life. You've never abandoned me, doubted me, you're always looking out for me even if I don't always appreciate it. I know that I don't say this enough but thank you Hermione, if it wasn't for you, I'd probably be dead."

"Don't talk like that harry. I nag, I'm annoying, and I'm pushy. I'm a know it all, you deserve someone so much better being your friend," Hermione said. "Someone prettier too," she added in a whisper.

"Don't do that!" Harry snapped. "Don't put yourself down, you're the best friend anyone could possibly want. And you're just as pretty as anyone, more beautiful too."

"Come on Harry, don't lie," Hermione scoffed. "Cho, Ginny, hell even Luna are much prettier than me. I'm overbearing, I have this bushy hair, buckteeth and no figure. They all have sleek, shiny hair; beautiful teeth and they're all athletic or curvy."

"Stop!" Harry shouted. Hermione recoiled from the sound of Harry's voice. "Hermione you are just as beautiful as anyone, more so than all those girls. You're beautiful inside and out. You're caring, opinionated, funny willing to put up with me and most importantly, you see me as 'Just Harry' not the bloody 'Boy-Who-Lived'!"

"Language Harry!" Hermione scolded.

"What do I really know about any of those girls?" Harry asked. "Cho, she only wanted to be with me to talk about Cedric, and aside from Quidditch what would we talk about. Luna is nice and all but she's a little too spacy for me. I need someone who will stop and shut me up before I do something rash and stupid. And Ginny is a bloody 'Boy-Who-Lived' fan girl; she grew up with that story. I know Molly has tried to mold her into my 'perfect' spouse. Also, she could be a dead ringer for my sister or even my mum aside for the eyes. I know this world is obsessed with blood but that's drawing the line, the squishiness involved in dating her…" Harry broke off when Hermione giggled. "Besides, there's only one woman I'd even consider dating."

Hermione felt something grab at her heart and begin to squeeze. "She's everything that I could wish for: beautiful, funny, caring, kind, strong…"

"I'm sure you and she will be very happy together," Hermione gasped, biting back a sob.

"Hermione, why are you crying?" Harry asked. "Are you in pain? Do you need Healer Kringle?"

"No Harry, it's not that," Hermione said.

"Please Mione, tell me. I hate seeing you crying," Harry said. He felt a similar feeling to the aftermath of his duel against Voldemort and how he could 'feel' Dumbledore's emotions well up inside him. Harry 'reached' out and felt a near overwhelming sadness, regret and a tiny bit of anger coming from Hermione. He then remembered what his mother had told him while they were inside his head that Hermione cared for him as much as he did for her.

"Hermione," Harry began softly. "Do you have…have feelings for me more than as a best friend?" Hermione's head shot up, nearly knocking Harry's glasses off. "Do you fancy me?"

Hermione's face erupted in an enormous blush. "What!" she squeaked. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, I fan…well I have feelings more than a best friend should if my dreams are anything to go by," Harry muttered. Hermione squeaked again and her face bloomed bright red once more. "I fancy you Hermione," he said with a sigh. It felt like an enormous load was taken off Harry's back. "And I was hoping that you felt the same?" he whispered.

Hermione felt the air leave her lungs. "You fancy me?" she asked, her brain trying to reboot.

"Of course Mione," Harry said. "Who else do you think I've been talking about all this time? Who's the one person that I trust without reservations. Bloody hell Hermione, you're the only girl I can talk to without making a complete fool of myself."

"But you never…I never thought…" Hermione stammered. "You never gave any sign that you…"

"Hermione, Mione you know that I'm no good with emotions," Harry said. "But know this, this will always be true. I will always need Hermione Jane Granger in my life. You are the most caring, kindest, beautiful woman I know. And I was hoping that you would do me the extreme honor of becoming my girlfri…"

Harry never finished his question as Hermione leapt across the bed and fused her lips to his in a searing kiss. Harry's mind went blissfully blank, similar to what he felt like when the fake-Moody put him under the Imperious Curse for the first time. He pulled Hermione into his lap. Hermione gasped and Harry took advantage, slipping his tongue into her mouth. Hermione moaned softly as hers and Harry's tongues battled one another.

Soon oxygen became an issue for the newly minted couple. Reluctantly Harry pulled away from Hermione, gasping for air. What he saw took his breath away once more. Hermione's eyes were half-lidded and glazed over, her lips were puffy and red and her face had a healthy glow to it.

"I guess that's a yes to my question," Harry said cheekily.

Hermione blinked and slowly licked her lips, drawing a low throaty groan from Harry before he smashed his lips to hers once more. After a few more minutes of blissful snogging, Harry pulled back. Each took a moment to catch their breaths before turning back to each other.

"Prat! But yes, I have since that Halloween night," Hermione said softly.

Harry buried his face in Hermione's hair, breathing in deeply Hermione's scent of vanilla, parchment and peaches. "I think I have too," Harry said. "But it wasn't until I saw you get hit by Dolohov in the Department of Mysteries that it made it crystal clear. I realized that I couldn't live without you in my life."

Hermione buried her face in Harry's chest, her shoulders shaking as sobs wracked her body. Harry let her cry, rubbing small circles in the small of Hermione's back.

"Is it all right to come back in?" a voice asked from the doorway. It was Mrs. Granger. Harry waved her and Mr. Granger back into the ward. Hermione's parents quietly settled into seats next to their daughter's bed, Mr. Granger was struggling to keep quiet at the sight of his princess in the lap of another man.

"Do you two have anything you want to tell us?" Mrs. Granger asked with a teasing tilt to her voice. Hermione blushed and hid her face once more in Harry's chest. "Oh come now Hermione dear, it's quite obvious that you two care a great deal for one another. Surely, just telling us that you two have decided to become a couple."

Harry and Hermione looked at one another and an entire conversation seemed to pass between their gazes, something that wasn't lost on Mr. and Mrs. Granger.

"Well mum, daddy, Harry and I have found out that we both have feelings for each others more than as just best friends, so we have decided to give having a relationship a try," Hermione said primly. Harry, Mrs. and Mr. Granger blinked at Hermione's clinical admittance of being in a relationship before Mrs. Granger started giggling. Her daughter soon followed suit, as Harry and Mr. Granger exchanged a look that said, '_Do you have any idea what that's about?_'

When Hermione and her mother calmed down, Hermione returned to her previous position of leaning against Harry with her head resting on his shoulder. "Harry?" she asked.

"Yes Mione, what's wrong?" Harry asked.

"What about Ron and Ginny? I mean, Ginny has had a massive crush on you since…ever," Hermione said.

"I know, and Ron fancies you," Harry said.

"Well, he has a brilliant way of showing it," Hermione scoffed. "Seriously Harry, what has Ron done to show that he has any romantic interest in me. He belittles me all the time, calling me 'mental', argues against me for no reason. Do you remember his attempt to ask me to the Yule Ball last year? '_Hey Hermione, you're a girl!'_"

Harry had to stifle a chuckle at Hermione's impression of their redheaded 'friend'. "Yes but you do know he's been parading around the boy's dorms saying that your arguing is unresolved sexual tension and it's what old married couples do, argue," Harry said before leaning back and waiting for the explosion. He wasn't disappointed.

"WHAT!" Hermione screamed. "That thick, idiotic prat! How could he even think that! The only reason I even put up with the boy is because he's your friend Harry. Don't you remember that he was the reason I was in that bathroom that Halloween, you told me later that the only reason _Ronald_ even came along was because you dragged him along. He's never been a friend to me, he's just used me and I let him to stay close to you!" Hermione ranted. Harry ducked his head as shame welled up inside him. She was right; Ron never did treat Hermione as a friend. He would berate and belittle her, then come crawling back when a homework assignment was due, and Harry allowed it. He saw how Ron treated Hermione and did nothing about it.

"I'm sorry Hermione, I'm so sorry," Harry sobbed. "I just let him do that. I knew that it was wrong but I just let Ron do whatever he wanted. I was…"

"You were scared, weren't you?" Hermione asked. "Ron was the first friend you had, so you didn't want to lose him." Harry nodded numbly as tears continued to pour down his cheeks. "It's all right Harry, I forgive you. It's partially my fault as well; I shouldn't have allowed _Ronald_ to walk all over me. But Harry, we will have to deal with Ronald and Ginny when word gets out that we're together."

"I know," Harry said heavily. "But too bad for them, I'm not going to give up the best thing in my life just because Ron and Ginny might be miffed."

Hermione smiled softly at Harry. Just then the ward doors burst open and two men came racing up the ward.

"Moony, Padfoot! What are you two doing here?" Harry asked as Sirius and Remus approached the bed. "Sirius, what are you doing! Shouldn't you be in disguise?"

"Pup, what are you doing here?" Sirius asked. "I thought you returned to Hogwarts with Dumbledore. And didn't he tell you, I'm cleared!"

"What!" Harry and Hermione cried.

"Dumbledore convinced Fudge to reopen Sirius' case in light of You-Know-Who's return," Remus said. "Didn't you know that?"

"He didn't do anything," Harry snarled much to the shock of Remus and Sirius. "I spoke with Director Bones about your case Sirius. I pointed out that Sirius was my _godfather_, so how could he betray my parents and me to Voldemort!" Sirius and Remus' eyes widened.

"Harry, why the hostility toward Dumbledore?" Remus asked. "He's always looked out for you…" The werewolf was cut off by a surge in magical energy coming from Harry.

"No! Dumbledore has always looked out for his weapon," Harry spat. "Dumbledore doesn't care for me aside from trying to mold me into his little weapon to throw against Voldemort. Don't flinch," Harry shouted, glaring at Remus. "How can you expect to defeat Voldemort when you can't stand to hear a made up name!"

"I'm sorry Harry but you didn't grow up in the wizarding world," Remus said.

"And whose fault is that!" Harry roared. "Dumbledore kidnapped me from Sirius, my rightful guardian, and dumped me at the Dursleys to rot! Why? To keep me ignorant of my heritage, maybe to have me look up to him as a hero for saving me from that place!"

"I'm sure that wasn't it," Remus argued, his sense of loyalty to Dumbledore rearing its head. "Dumbledore has done so much for me…for our world."

"I know that he allowed you to attend Hogwarts Moony," Harry said. "But why you?"

"What?" Remus asked.

"Why were you allowed to attend Hogwarts?" Harry aside. "And why only just you? I mean; did Dumbledore use you as an experiment to show that a werewolf could still attend school with the general population. But then, why hasn't there been another werewolf to attend Hogwarts? Why just you? Another thing, Dumbledore preaches equality and all that, but his secret organization has only witches and wizards."

"And a werewolf," Remus said sharply. "And Hagrid, a half giant."

"Do you truly consider yourself a werewolf?" Harry asked. "You treat your illness like it's the end all be all. And werewolves aren't the only magical species out there, what about House Elves, Goblins, Centaurs? None are members of the Order, makes you wonder doesn't it?"

Sirius and Remus looked at Harry in stunned amazement. They had never heard anyone take Dumbledore to task like this, questioning Albus Dumbledore was not something that anyone did, he was Albus Dumbledore.

"Dumbledore has made so very questionable decisions regarding Harry's life," Hermione said. "Leaving him with those disgusting relatives, not telling Harry of his family's history. Keeping Sirius locked up in Azkaban without even a hearing, not getting Harry out of the Tri-wizard Tournament last year and this year, taking me away from my parents to sequester us at Headquarters as well as telling Ron and I that we can't tell Harry anything. What right does he have to tell us what we can or can not say in letters?"

"But he's Albus Dumbledore," Remus gasped. "And you were all staying at Headquarters, we couldn't have you letters intercepted."

"Why did Hermione have to stay at Headquarters, taken from her parents?" Harry shouted. "Also, Dumbledore had people watching Privet Drive all summer, why couldn't he have them just give me the letters. Or better yet, he goes on and on about those 'blood' wards that are supposed to protect me, then WHY DO I NEED GUARDS!"

Remus gaped, his mouth opening and closely numbly as the graying man tried to give an answer.

"Seems to me that this Dumbledore is more concerned about keeping Harry isolated and under his thumb than allowing him to have a normal childhood like he so claims," Mr. Granger said. "Why is that?"

"And why was Voldemort after that prophecy orb?" Hermione asked. "We saw it had Dumbledore's initials along with Professor Trelawney's. So Dumbledore was the one who heard this prophecy but why did Voldemort trick Harry into coming all the way to London to get it?"

"I'm sure that Professor Dumbledore had a good reason," Remus said weakly. He turned to Sirius for support but received none.

"Don't look at me Moony," Sirius said. "I'm still bloody pissed at Dumbledore for not getting me a trial all those years ago. All this about Harry is just frosting on the cake. I'm seriously considering pulling my support from the Order if Dumbledore doesn't start shaping up. And Harry and Hermione bring up some valid points; Dumbledore has made plenty of questionable decisions including those in the last war. Remember when James fought and killed several Death Eaters a few months before Harry was born when he and Lily were out on a date, Dumbledore tried to tear James a new one because he put down three of those animals. Kept going on and on about how they could be redeemed and brought back to the Light."

"Bollocks!" Harry barked. "Death Eaters can't be redeemed, no matter what! And besides, if order to gain redemption the person has to regret their actions and also they have to suffer the consequences of those actions."

"At school, Dumbledore lets Snape, Malfoy and the Death Nibblers get away with anything," Hermione snarled. "Calling muggleborns 'Mudbloods', cursing people in the hallways and when someone defends themselves against them, they're the ones who are punished. Dumbledore is more concerned about protecting the attackers rather than their victims."

"Remus, I know Dumbledore did a great thing by allowing you to attend Hogwarts, it is something that James and I will be eternally grateful for but you can't deny that he has made some monumental mistakes regarding Harry, myself and how he led the Order," Sirius said.

"Maybe we should shelve this topic until another time," Harry suggested seeing the forlorn look on Remus' face. "Speaking of my mum, did she ever speak of something called the 'Force'?"

"You mean like the 'Force' as in Star Wars?" Hermione asked. Harry shrugged.

"I don't know what that is," Harry said. "But after I found Voldemort in the Atrium of the Ministry, I think he tried to possess me through our link." He paused at all the gasps and curses coming from Hermione, Sirius and Remus. "Well, I 'met' my mum inside my head…" he went on to describe his meeting with his mother and their confrontation with the two Voldemorts. Sirius, Hermione and Remus were disgusted and saddened that Harry had never heard anyone tell him that they loved him. Hermione internally vowed that she would soon tell him how deeply she felt for him and as many times as she was able too.

"A Horcrux!" Remus growled.

"A what?" Harry and Hermione asked.

"The darkest and foulest of black magic," Sirius snarled. "A Horcrux is a soul container." Seeing the confused looks on Harry, Hermione and the Grangers' faces, he continued. "A Horcrux is an object that a person puts a piece of their soul after it is torn apart."

"What!" Harry and Hermione gasped, revulsion showing.

"That's how Voldemort survived," Remus said. "He must have created at least two Horcruxes."

"The diary!" Harry exclaimed. "Down in the Chamber of Secrets, Riddle's diary must have been one of these Horcruxes. He talked about he was a memory but there's no way a memory could survive and interact with the outside world. I mean it was able to hold and use my wand."

"So Harry was one of these disgusting things?" Robert asked.

"It seemed so," Remus said. "But from what he described, Harry was able to banish the soul fragment when he forced You-Know-Who from his head."

"But how?" Sirius asked. "I mean, why would Voldemort use Harry as a Horcrux and then try to kill him so many times?"

"Maybe he didn't mean too," Hermione said. "Think about it, when Voldemort attacked the Potters that Halloween and when the Killing Curse backfired or whatever and destroyed Voldemort's body, a piece of his soul broke off and attached itself to Harry."

"So I was walking around with a piece of Riddle in my head since I was one!" Harry cried. "How didn't anyone notice?"

"Harry, your scar is nearly gone!" Hermione gasped. "It looks like just an old cut."

"Really!" Harry said. Mrs. Granger handed Harry a small pocket mirror. Harry opened it and checked his reflection. It was true, the scar that had plagued Harry for so long was nearly gone, just a thin line barely visible was the only physical reminder of that horrible Halloween night.

"Maybe we should have a Healer look you over," Sirius suggested. "Just to make sure there isn't any consequences from this." Hermione agreed and Harry nodded, albeit reluctantly. Healer Kringle was called back in. He had Harry lay down on the bed and began casting diagnostic spells over the boy. Slowly a frown creased the Healer's forehead, and it grew deeper and deeper as Kringle continued his spell casing.

"Mr. Potter, from scuttlebutt around St. Mungo's, you've had your fair share of trips to the Hospital Wing at Hogwarts, correct?" Kringle asked. Harry nodded. "Well then, I think I need to have a discussion with Madam Pomfrey as you have multiple things that need immediate attention."

"What?" Harry whispered. "Madam Pomfrey has always been first-class."

"I know she is, but there's no way a Healer of her caliber should have missed this amount of injuries if she has seen you as many times as is claimed."

"What's wrong with Harry?" Sirius asked in a quiet tone.

"Mr. Potter has multiple poorly set fractures that seemed to have healed partially, most of them years old," Kringle said. "Harry has also suffered from prolonged malnutrition, multiple Obliviations, there are several potions and charms affecting him as well as some Dark magic residue centered around Harry's scar."

"WHAT?" Hermione, Sirius and Remus shouted at the prognosis.

"I'm afraid so," Kringle said. "Just from my first look, Mr. Potter is under four different loyalty potions, a mild attraction potion, all of which have been in effect at least a year. The broken bones will have to be Vanished and then regrown if you want them to heal correctly. I will need to contact a Mind Healer to see if your memories can be restored if you'd like and I can prescribe potions for the malnutrition and help you gain weight and height."

Hermione buried her face in Harry's chest as silence fell over the room.

"Who?" Sirius asked. "Is there any way you can tell who the potions are keyed to and who gave them to Harry?"

"I can find out who they are keyed too but not who first administered the potions," Kringle said.

"Do it," Harry said.

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Deep within the bowels of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, one prisoner was sitting calmly on the thin cot provided. Albus Dumbledore was sitting in the barren 6' X 8' cell, looking to the whole world that this was the calm grandfatherly figure that he portrayed to the world but inside, Dumbledore was raging. His mind was whirling with the events of the previous 48 hours.

Tom had been forced to revel himself to the Ministry and the wizarding world at large. However, Harry Potter seemed to have grown a backbone during this time as well. The boy had challenged his authority openly and in front of both Fudge and Amelia Bones. It was the latter that truly concerned Albus Dumbledore. Fudge had no backbone and he was confident that he could 'persuade' him to follow his plans. But Amelia Bones was different; she had an iron view of justice and the fact that Harry had brought up Sirius' lack of a trial to her assured that Black would be freed in short order.

Dumbledore was able to limit the possible damage by convincing Fudge to clear Sirius. This gave Dumbledore leverage over Sirius, as now Black owned Dumbledore his freedom. Smiling, Dumbledore leaned back as he waited for the order to come down giving him his freedom. There was too much work to be done now that the world knew that Tom was back, and who better to lead the wizarding world and the Light to victory than Albus Dumbledore.

Dumbledore was brought out of his musings by the sound of the cell door creaking open. Opening his eyes, Dumbledore saw Director Bones standing in the hallway flanked by two Aurors. Dumbledore had to hid a grin in his beard. The two Aurors were Kingsley Shacklebolt and Nymphadora Tonks.

"Hello Amelia," Dumbledore said with a smile. "I assume that you are here to release me for this misunderstanding."

"Not quite Dumbledore," Amelia said with a feral grin. "First you are going to answer some questions for me, with this." She held up a vial containing a clear liquid. Dumbledore paled slightly but his eyes twitched toward Shacklebolt and Tonks, secure in the knowledge that they would never allow this to happen. But Bones shot that idea down pat. "Don't look to them Albus, I know all about your little club and how these two were members. I gave them as well as Mad-Eye a choice, you or me. All three choose to swear an oath to be loyal to me, as long as I am the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Seems that they weren't very happy with the way you were always talking about redeeming any captured Death Eaters. I have no such qualms about bringing the Death Eaters in to see justice."

Dumbledore gaped. He looked to Kingsley and Tonks who both just glared back at Dumbledore. "Amelia, you can't be serious!" Dumbledore cried. "When this comes out that you are demanding loyalty oaths from your Aurors, it's treason! The Minister and Wizengamont will never stand for it."

"Oh I wouldn't worry about that," Amelia said with a smug grin. "First off, Fudge is doing everything in his power to avoid being sacked, including giving me complete control over my department. Also, my oath only extends for as long as I am the Head of the DMLE. I needed reassurance that my Aurors would be loyal to me not you."

"Kingsley, Nymphadora, how could you betray me and the Order like this?" Dumbledore asked. "I'm very disappointed in you."

"Stow your platitudes Mr. Dumbledore," Shacklebolt snapped. "I only joined the Order in order to fight You-Know-Who, now that the Ministry is reporting his return, I've joined Director Bones because I know that she will make sure that those bastards pay for their crimes rather than just a slap on the wrist. I've been an Auror for a long time and I've seen that these _animals_ don't deserve the courtesy of mercy, if we want to win this war we must be willing to fight for it, and that means fighting fire with fire if necessary."

"Don't you understand if you continue down this path, you will turn as Dark as Voldemort," Dumbledore pleaded. He was surprised to see that none of the trio flinched at the name.

"No Dumbledore, you keep prattling on about the 'Greater Good' but your way isn't the way for our society to survive," Tonks said. "I wasn't around for the first war, but I know that our side was losing badly before the restrictions on the Aurors were lifted and even then, it took a bloody miracle by Harry and Lily Potter to somehow defeat You-Know-Who. We can't let that happen again."

"So Dumbledore, will you consent to do this the easy way or the hard way?" Amelia asked.

"I'm afraid you won't be questioning me any way my dear," Dumbledore announced as he reached into his pocket. In a swirl of light, Dumbledore vanished.

"Bollocks!" Amelia roared. "Shack, Tonks, get upstairs and put out an arrest warrant for Albus Dumbledore for escaping DMLE custody, use of illegal Portkey as well as wanted for the questioning regarding the deprivation of Lord Sirius Black's rights."

"Yes Ma'am!" Kingsley and Tonks barked before racing out of the holding cells. Amelia turned back to the empty cell and growled deep in her throat.

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"Harry, are you all right?" Hermione asked, rubbing the back of Harry's hand.

"I don't know what to feel Mione," Harry said. "Everything I know seems to be crashing down. I had a piece of Voldemort stuck in my scar for nearly my entire life, Dumbledore probably knew about it. You should have seen how smug he looked when I told him last year that Voldemort used my blood to regain his body. And speaking of Dumbledore, look at how much he has hidden from me. He pretty much kidnapped me, or at least had Hagrid do it on his orders, put me with the Dursleys and just left me. He tells me that some supposed impenetrable blood wards protect me but he has people watching over me and tells me that I can't message my friends. Everyone thinks that Dumbledore is this Merlin-like Light wizard but from what I've seen, he's nothing like that."

"I know Harry," Hermione said, leaning against Harry's shoulder. "He's so Machiavellian. He thinks he's the only one who can decide what happens in this world. Looking back at our time at Hogwarts, I think that he's set us up every year. First year, look at the traps protecting the Stone, suited to you, me, Ronald and Neville, if he had come with us. Second year, how does he not know what is going on with the Chamber of Secrets, and why didn't he close the school when he confirmed it. It wasn't until a pureblood was attacked that anything was really done to try and stop the attacks. Third year, the Dementors are stationed at Hogwarts as guards, around a school! Last year, he forces you to compete in the Tournament, even though he could remove you from it. And this past year, he allows that horrid woman to teach Defence and torture you, add that to what Snape did during those so-called Occulmency lessons."

"You're right Mione," Harry said. "So what are we going to do then? I mean Dumbledore is Dumbledore. It's like he can do no wrong in the eyes of the wizarding world. Do we go back to Hogwarts if Dumbledore is still there or do we find somewhere else to learn?"

"Well, legally, we don't have to return since we've taken our OWLs," Hermione said. "But I think we'd have to, there's still so much to learn. That prophecy orb really worries me. Why would you be able to take it but none of those Death Eaters? What precautions does the Department of Mysteries have in place for that sort of thing?"

The doors to the ward opened and Mr. and Mrs. Granger, along with Sirius, Remus and Healer Kringle came back in.

"Hey mum, daddy, what's wrong?" Hermione asked.

"Well, we were just talking with Healer Kringle about what he did for Harry," Mrs. Granger said. "And we think that you should get a check up as well. If someone did all this to Harry, we're afraid that they could have done the same thing to you."

"Also, I believe that enough time has passed for me to get a good reading on whether we will be able to heal your other injuries," Healer Kringle said somberly. A somber mood draped over the group as the reminder of the possibility of Hermione not having children.

Hermione nodded and got back into her bed. Healer Kringle raised a screen separating Hermione and her mother, who came up to her bedside, and the rest of the ward. Two minutes later, Harry heard a soul-wrenching scream and whipped his head around.

"Hermione!" he shouted before tearing out of his bed and rushing around the curtain. What he saw nearly tore his heart apart. Hermione was being embraced by her mother; both Granger women had tears streaming down their cheeks. Hermione's shoulders were wracked by heavy sobs as her cries rent the air.

"No!" Harry gasped as realization washed over him. Healer Kringle was standing off to the side of the bed, a sad look etched on his lined face.

"I'm sorry but the damage was too great," Kringle whispered. "I'm so sorry."

"No!" Mr. Granger cried as he rushed over to his wife and daughter, embracing them both.

Harry sank to his knees and clutched his head. "No, no, no," he cried, shaking his head in disbelief. "Mione, I'm so sorry. If I hadn't been so stubborn, if I had just listened to you, none of this would have happened."

"No Harry, it's not your fault," Hermione said, slipping out of her parents' grips and sinking down next to Harry. "If I had just put the bastard down instead of just Silencing him, this wouldn't have happened."

"But…"

"No buts Harry," Hermione said. "This is not your fault, I wasn't good enough. But I learned an important lesson, this is a war and in war people die. You have to be willing to kill to protect those precious to you. We won't win this war by just Stunning our opponents and letting them just be revived a moment later. If they go down, the Death Eaters have to go down hard."

Harry nodded. "I just wish that you didn't have to learn this," he whispered. "The price is too damn high."

"Harry," Hermione murmured. "Please don't make this any harder than it has to be. Perhaps you…you should rethink being together with me," she broke off at the incredulous look that Harry was giving her. Taking a deep breath, Hermione plowed on. "I mean, I'll never be able to give you what you really want, a family," she added in a barely audible whisper.

"Don't you dare do that to me!" Harry roared, causing Hermione and the others to jump. "Don't you dare take that choice from me. I love you Hermione Jane Granger, and your ability or lack thereof to have children has no and will never have any bearing on how I feel for you."

"You love me?" Hermione asked quietly, as if she couldn't believe it.

"Of course I do, I can't live without you Mione," Harry said. "You're the only reason I kept coming back to Hogwarts, the only reason I haven't gone off the deep end and turned into the Dark Lord that the _Prophet_ accused me of being. You're the only reason I've stayed human these past couple of years."

Everyone in the ward was stunned. Sirius and Remus hung their heads at the thought of Harry turning Dark, shame welled up in both of them at the realization that Harry had never had anyone he could trust and rely on before Hermione. They were supposed to care for Harry if anything happened to James and Lily and yet they failed. Sirius went off after Pettigrew, handing Harry off to Hagrid. And Remus didn't take Harry because of his lycanthropy, but a deeper reason was that Remus was afraid that Harry, when he would find out about it, would reject him.

After years of repressing the wolf inside him, Remus Lupin's personality had become one of a weak-willed follower rather than a strong assertive alpha-male. He used his lycanthropy as a crutch for all of his life's problems. During his Hogwarts years, Remus had found companions with the Marauders but when they finished Hogwarts and begun their careers; his disease had blacklisted him from any job in the wizarding world. This began the downward spiral, Remus hit rock bottom four years after James and Lily's deaths. He had been fired from his job of transporting goods for a Middle-eastern shipping company because of missing a couple of days due to recovering from a full moon.

"Hermione, are you sure about this?" Robert asked. "Once you go down this road, it will forever taint your soul. While you'll be able to say what you did was right, you will always see the faces of those you kill. They stay with you for the rest of your life."

Hermione nodded as she held Harry. "This has to be done," she said. "I know that this won't be a very popular decision but usually the best decisions for the most people aren't the ones that are the most well liked."

"For the Greater Good," Harry muttered into Hermione's hair.

"Hermione, Harry, you do realize if you continue down this path, you could be denounced as the next Dark Lord and Lady," Remus said.

"And if we don't, then Voldemort will win," Harry retorted. "For evil wins when good men do nothing. And that's what Dumbledore and all you have been doing since Voldemort killed my parents. All you adults just sat back and let the Death Eaters return to their daily lives, not even trying to have them tried or prosecuted."

Remus flinched. Sirius nodded, he agreed with Harry and Hermione. After spending twelve years in Azkaban for a crime he didn't commit and seeing that all he had to do was plead the Imperious to get out, he wanted to see the Death Eaters pay and pay hard, with their lives if need be.

Just then the doors to the ward burst open once more. Harry spun around, his wand in hand and tracking. But a spilt second later, he had stowed his wand back up his sleeve. It was Director Bones along with Tonks, Kingsley and Moody.

"There you all are!" Amelia cried as she stowed her own wand, Tonks and Kingsley following suit. Mad-Eye kept his wand out and constantly scanned the room with his magical eye. "Have any of you seen Dumbledore?"

"No, not since you and your Aurors took him away Director Bones," Harry said. "Why, what's wrong?"

"He's escaped!"

"WHAT!" Harry, Hermione, the Grangers, Sirius and Remus shouted.

"Unfortunately, he was somehow able to sneak a Portkey in on his person," Bones growled. "We were about to question him when he buggered out. We have no idea where he could have gone too. I've put out an arrest warrant for him but I don't think anyone will take it truly seriously."

Harry turned to Sirius, "Do you think he went back to Headquarters?" he asked. "There and Hogwarts are the only places I can think of off the top of my head."

"You might have a point," Sirius said. "I, Lord Sirius Orion Black, bar entry to one Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore to any and all Black family properties from this day henceforth!"

"I, Lord Harrison James Potter, bar entry to one Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore to any and all Potter family properties from this day henceforth!" Harry echoed. A bright light emanated from the two wizards, signaling the acceptance of the order by their magic.

"What do we do now?" Remus asked. "I mean with the Order, Dumbledore was our leader and now with him on the run?"

"You'll just have to find a new leader," Harry said. "Someone who isn't afraid of upsetting the status quo and who is willing to take the fight to the Death Eaters. A former Auror perhaps…" Harry trailed off, glancing between Sirius and Mad-Eye Moody.

"Look it's been a long day, I think it's time for my patients to get their rest," Healer Kringle said. "Lord Black, Mr. Lupin, Mr. and Mrs. Granger, if you would like to stay here for the night, I can arrange to have some beds made up for you."

"Thank you very much Healer Kringle, that would be lovely," Mrs. Granger said.

"Alastor, Kingsley, Tonks, we need to get back to the office and start rounding up anything and everything that we can find on where Dumbledore might try and have a bolt hole," Amelia said. "Sirius, Remus, do you think you can stay here and watch over Lord Potter and Miss Granger, Dumbledore has already tried twice to get Lord Potter back to Hogwarts against his will, so I wouldn't put it past him to try for a third time. Also, news of your innocence will be on the front page of the _Prophet_ tomorrow but I would try and stay out of the public spotlight for a few more days to be safe."

"Thank you Amelia," Sirius said. "I'll do just that, there isn't anything on this Earth that will take me away from Harry right now." Harry beamed at Sirius, a warm feeling growing in his chest.

"Right then, come along you three," Amelia said to her subordinates. The Head of the DMLE and her three Aurors filed out of the ward, leaving Harry, Hermione, the Grangers, Sirius and Remus with Healer Kringle.

"Right then, into to bed the both of you," Mrs. Granger ordered.

"Yes, you both will need your full strength tomorrow when we begin your treatments," Kringle said. "If you require anything during the night, just call for Tippy. Good night then."

"Good night Healer Kringle," the group chorused as the older man left the ward. Harry and Hermione climbed into their beds and settled in, Hermione's parents, Sirius and Remus around them. Soon the ward was filled with the gentle snores of half a dozen exhausted people.

**A/N: Well there's the latest chapter of my new story _Harry Potter: Jedi Mage_, I waited until I had completed three chapters before actually posting to give you all an early Christmas present. Hope you all enjoy it, I'm planning on posting each chapter of this story in bunches, so update times might be farther apart than I'd like. Once this week is over with, I'll be off from work for a week so hopefully I can update most of my stories during that time. Most of the chapters are 50%+ done, so cross your fingers that my muses stay with me.**

**Enjoy the holidays and have a merry Christmas,**

**S.R.W.M.O**


	4. Deceptions undone and Surprises Abound

**Disclaimer: The characters of _Harry Potter_ and _Star Wars_ aren't mine, they are the property of JK Rowling and George Lucas. I'm just having some fun with the two universes. **

It had been a week since the battle of the Department of Mysteries, and Hermione had finally been discharged from St. Mungo's. Harry had decided to wait until Hermione was cleared to leave before returning to Hogwarts. Word had spread around the hospital as well as the wizarding world that Albus Dumbledore was a fugitive from the Ministry as well as that Voldemort had returned. Two days after the battle, an article in the _Daily Prophet_ had come out telling the masses that Lord Voldemort had returned.

_**You-Know-Who returns!**_

_**Dark Forces storm Ministry in stunning raid but stonewalled by**_

_**Harry Potter?**_

_**Saturday morning, the wizarding world awoke to nightmare. We at the Daily Prophet have received confirmation that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has returned, something that the Boy-Who-Lived, Harry James Potter, as well as Headmaster Albus Dumbledore have been claiming for a year. **_

_**You-Know-Who was sighted retreating from the Ministry Atrium after facing off against both Potter and Dumbledore. However, from eyewitness accounts it wasn't Albus Dumbledore who forced the Dark Lord to retreat. Instead it was Harry Potter who made He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, showing an amazing amount of power from one so young. **_

_**However, afterwards young Mr. Potter confronted both Minister Cornelius Fudge and Headmaster Dumbledore, accusing both men of various crimes, the most serious of which seems to be that Minister Fudge doesn't care for the citizens of magical Britain, only caring for himself. Lord Potter, who has claimed his Lordship, cited several decisions that Minister Fudge and Headmaster Dumbledore have made over the past several years including stationing Dementors around Hogwarts two years ago, reigniting the Triwizard Tournament last year, and selecting Madam Delores Umbridge as Hogwarts' Defence Against the Dark Arts professor (the Prophet has learned that Madam Umbridge failed her DADA OWL twice before passing on her third attempt with just an Acceptable).**_

_**Lord Potter also mentioned that his competing in the Triwizard Tournament last years was against his will, rather than what we were told that Potter was excited and anxious to compete. This raises some questions about what we actually know about the Boy-Who-Lived. **_

_**Lord Potter wasn't alone in defying You-Know-Who; he was accompanied to the Ministry by several of his friends including Ronald and Ginerva Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood and Hermione Granger. Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger have been close companions of Lord Potter for years now, and Miss Granger was rumored to be with Lord Potter last year during the Triwizard Tournament by Miss Rita Skeeter, though there wasn't any confirmation.**_

Harry growled as he threw down the _Prophet _onto a pile of papers next to his bed. He was somewhat surprised that the _Prophet_ had gotten much of the article correct, though it painted an even larger bulls-eye on his and his friends' backs. He hadn't seen hide or hair of Ginny, Ron or Luna since the battle and Harry felt terrible about that. Hedwig had shown up the day after the battle, and Harry had written several letters to each Ron, Ginny and Luna asking if they were ok and telling them that he was staying with Hermione at St. Mungo's. Hedwig had returned with a response from Luna, saying that she was fine, thanking him for his concern and happy for him that he had gotten rid of the Nargles floating around his head.

Harry shook his head after he read the dotty Ravenclaw's letter. Neville had returned with word from Hogwarts three days after the battle, saying that Ron and Ginny had gotten treatment from Madam Pomfrey back at Hogwarts. The Longbottom heir also said that Snape had tried to have Harry expelled due to Harry leaving the grounds without permission and failing to return when told too. Professors Flitwick and Sprout shot him down though, saying that Harry was to be commended for showing such loyalty to his friends. Harry snorted at the thought of the Potions Professor, before a burning inferno roared within him as he remembered that Harry had told Snape what was happening before they left for the Ministry. It was Snape's fault that Harry and his friends had nearly died, the Order failed to show up until it was almost too late. Dumbledore himself had told Harry that Snape had only told the Order well after they had left. The Order should have been waiting for them when they arrived at the Ministry but no the bastard had just sat on the message until the last possible minute.

And Snape had been helping Voldemort in sending Harry visions by purposely sabotaging Harry's efforts to learn Occulmency, something that Harry had suspected from the beginning but Director Bones had confirmed it during their brief meeting.

"Harry," Hermione's voice brought Harry from his angry musing. Harry turned and saw her looking at him, concern filling her chocolate brown eyes.

"Hey there Mione," Harry said, raising an arm. Hermione smiled and snuggled into his side. "How are you feeling?"

"Ok," she answered. Harry gave her a pointed look. She sighed. "Fine Harry," she whispered. "I'm not fine, I'm no where near fine. A Death Eater curses me due to my stupidity in thinking that he wouldn't be able to cast silently. Then I find out that my Headmaster has been trying to control my best friend's life and mine and the icing on the cake is that I can't have children." Tear began pouring down Hermione's cheeks as her body was wracked with sobs. Harry leapt from his chair and pulled Hermione into his lap, she instantly latched onto Harry like a life raft, and he was the only thing keeping her afloat.

"It'll be ok Mione," Harry whispered. "I swear to you, I will find someway to heal you. You will be able to have kids someday, I don't care what I have to do."

"Harry, you can't promise that," Hermione gasped. "It's hard enough as it is to deal with this, don't make promises that you can't keep."

Harry's face crumpled. "Mione, when have I ever broken a promise to you?" he whispered.

"Never," Hermione said just as quietly.

"Then believe in me, I will find a way to cure you even if it's the last thing I do," Harry said.

"I do believe in you Harry but you heard what the Healer said," Hermione said. "There's nothing more they can do."

"I know what the Healer said Hermione but I don't care," Harry snapped. "Don't give up Mione, where's the brave Gryffindor that has always supported me and been there for me. Well this time, I will be there for you and make sure that you are taken care of."

Tears welled up in Hermione's eyes as she launched herself into Harry's arms. Harry held her as sobs wracked her body.

"Hey Harry, Hermione, it's time to go," Remus' voice cut through the ward. "Is everything all right in here?" he asked tentatively. He and Harry had barely spoken to each other since their argument over Remus' blind loyalty to Dumbledore and looking back much of what Harry had pointed out made sense, especially in light of Dumbledore being arrested and then escaped from custody.

"We're fine Remus," Harry said with a slightly hard edge to his voice. Harry still hadn't forgiven Moony for taking Dumbledore's side during their argument, and the fact that he allowed Dumbledore to dictate what Remus could and couldn't do. "We'll be out in a minute." Moony nodded and closed the door.

"Come on Hermione, your parents, Sirius and Remus will be waiting for us," Harry said. Hermione nodded against his chest and slowly extracted herself from his body. Five minutes later, Harry and Hermione met the Grangers, Sirius and Remus in the lobby of the hospital floor.

"Hermione, Harry, I'm not really sure where you should go now," Sirius said. "Hogwarts might be considered the safest place in Britain but from your experiences there, that claim is blown out of the water. We could head to Headquarters, but I'm not sure if Dumbledore would be able to get in or not, since he's the Secret Keeper."

"Bollocks," Harry muttered. "Wait, my mum said that there was something waiting for me in her vault at Gringotts. Why don't we go there? I haven't seen anything of my parents'; they must have left me something. I've heard things around Hogwarts that the Potters were one of the most powerful and wealthiest families in all of Britain."

"No question about that Harry," Sirius said. "Your family is one of the top five richest families in Britain with the Bones', Blacks', Longbottoms' and the Royal Family. You were supposed to learn of your family's holdings when you turned 14."

"Well, I didn't get to go to Diagon Alley the last two years," Harry said.

"Then Gringotts should have sent you something," Remus said. "Something is very wrong here. Gringotts wouldn't shirk on their duties like this, the goblins are known for being extremely reliable in these type of matters."

"So Gringotts?" Harry asked. Sirius and Remus nodded. Harry turned to Hermione. "Are you up to go to Gringotts or?"

"Actually, perhaps if it were best if we went home," Mr. Granger said. "I think a good night's sleep in our own beds would do us all a world of good. And there are some questions that need answering," he added looking at Hermione with a look that sent shivers up and down Harry's spine.

"Well Moony, why don't you with them?" Harry suggested. When he saw Mr. Granger about to object, he continued, "We don't know where Dumbledore is or if anyone is going to come after you, Remus is a fully qualified wizard as well as a Defence Master. If someone tries to attack you, Remus and Hermione will be able to fend them off enough for you all to get away."

Mr. Granger made to object but his wife's hand on his arm stopped him. "Fine then, let's go Hermione," Robert said shortly. Hermione gave Harry a searching look but followed her parents out of the ward, Remus trailing her.

"Come on pup," Sirius said. "They'll be fine. We need to hurry if we want to get to Gringotts today." Harry nodded reluctantly and followed Sirius out of the ward and checked out. They reached Diagon Alley twenty minutes later and quickly made their way to the bank's entrance.

"Hello Master Teller," Sirius said to a free goblin. "Lord Potter and I would like to speak to the account manager for the Potter accounts for a full reckoning of his holdings. We await his pleasure."

"Of course milord," the teller replied. Harry and Sirius were standing alone for just a few minutes before the teller returned with a goblin who was a head taller than the teller and dressed in much finer livery than any other goblin on the floor.

"Lord Potter, Lord Black," the goblin said. "Please come with me, I believe our meeting is better suited to taking place in my office."

"Of course sir," Sirius said. The pair of wizards followed the goblin through a side door off the main area of the bank. He then led Sirius and Harry to another door, this one had a gold plaque affixed to the door.

_**Sharpshard**_

_**Manager of Potter family account**_

Harry and Sirius sat down opposite of Sharpshard, who pulled out several manila folders from the drawers of his desk.

"Lord Potter, Lord Black," Sharpshard said. "What can Gringotts and I do for you?"

"Please Manager Sharpshard, my family's name might have been given the title of 'Lord' but I certainly have not earned such an honor. I'm just Harry," Harry said.

Sharpshard looked over his papers at Harry, the goblin's black, glittering eyes bored into Harry's eyes much like Snape's would, however Sharpshard's eyes had an element of humor and respect in them. "You are a very curious human Lor…Harry," Sharpshard said. "But I will acquiesce to your request. Now Harry, Lord Black…"

"Sirius," Sirius said.

Sharpshard nodded. "Harry, Sirius, my question still stands. What can Gringotts do for you?" the goblin asked.

"It has recently come to my attention that, due to no fault of the bank, that I haven't been made aware of my family's holdings here or what it exactly means to be a Potter," Harry said.

"I see," Sharpshard said, steepling his fingers in front of him. "Ah yes, when I heard that you would be coming here today, I had my assistant go down to the Records department and find your family's file. When it was brought to me, I looked over it I found quite a few irregularities in your account. First off, we were told by Albus Dumbledore that you were going to wait until you came of age to take up your Lordship, obviously he was wrong, as two nights ago our sensors detected that the Potter Family Ring had…" Sharpshard trailed off as Harry raised his hand and showed the Potter ring on his finger.

"We need to see everything that has happened with the Potter account ever since James and Lily were killed," Sirius said. "Including withdrawals, access lists, everything!"

"Of course milord," Sharpshard said. The goblin snapped his fingers and a minute later, another large manila folder appeared on the desk. "This is the access list and withdrawal list from the Potter family vaults since November 5th, 1981, the first time the vaults were used between the time of the former Lord and Lady Potter's deaths and your arrival today, Harry."

Harry took the offered folder and opened it with trembling arms. Sirius looked over the folder as well, looking from his perch behind Harry. Sharpshard shivered as he felt a wave of magic explode from the young human sitting before him. The boy, no, young man's eyes were glowing a brilliant green and his already unruly hair was whipping wildly in an unseen breeze. The older human behind him wasn't faring much better.

"Fix this!" Sirius snarled as he threw down the folder onto the desk in front of Sharpshard. Inside were the details of even more treachery from Dumbledore. Over the years in which Sirius was imprisoned in Azkaban, Dumbledore had used his 'magical guardianship' to withdraw nearly five million Galleons from the Potter family vaults, or at least Harry's trust vault as only a Potter could enter the family vaults. So Dumbledore every six months would drain Harry's trust vault, then when it was refilled do it again. Dumbledore had spilt the stolen funds between himself, Hogwarts, Snape, the Ministry and the Weasleys.

It was the last name that sent a dagger through Harry's heart. He had known that Ron wasn't really much of a good friend to him but growing up without a single person you could even think to call a friend, had made him desperate for companionship, for friendship. Ginny had always seemed like a cross between a little sister-figure and a stalker. She had barely spoken a coherent sentence to Harry in the four years since he had met her; in fact their most meaningful conversation was after Harry had rescued Ginny from the Chamber of Secrets.

"How?" Harry asked, his voice cracking. "How could the Weasleys do this? It's not about the money but they just stole it from me like I wouldn't even care."

"I know pup, I know," Sirius said softly, though Harry and Sharpshard could hear the undercurrent of rage coiling deep within it. "They will have a reckoning coming soon enough."

"I'm afraid there is one other piece of business we must discuss Lord Potter," Sharpshard said. He pulled out a leaf of parchment from another folder and handed it to Sirius. Sirius' eyes bulged out as he read the document.

"What is this dribble!" he roared. "This can't be legal!" He threw the parchment onto the desk where Harry got a good look at it.

_**BETROTHAL CONTRACT**_

_WHEREAS, the bridegroom, Harry James Potter, under the magical guardianship of one Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, shall be wed to one Ginerva Molly Weasley, with the knowledge and blessing of her legal guardians, Arthur Percival Weasley, and Molly Anne Weasley nee Prewitt, at a date no later than Ginerva's 16__th__ birthday._

_In order to complete this union, the parties agree to the use of potions, charms or spells in the case that either the bride or groom proves reluctant to wed._

_Within twelve months, a child must be conceived, in order to achieve this welcome addition, potions may be used to insure that a child is conceived. _

_Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, the legal magical guardian of the bridegroom, Harry James Potter, shall provide:_

_Hogwarts scholarships for each of the Weasley children _

_A key to Harry James Potter's trust vault for one, Molly Anne Prewitt nee Weasley, for school supplies_

_Each year, from now until this contract has been fulfilled, from the Potter vaults, a dowry of 10,000 Galleons shall be given to the Weasley family_

_Upon completion of this contract, a final dowry of 50,000 Galleons shall be given to the Weasley family_

_This contract, signed by,_ here were Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's signatures along with Dumbledore's loopy scrawl, _on this date, November 5__th__, 1981._

Sharpshard's office began trembling as Harry's magic struggled to break free of his iron will.

"Harry!" Sirius cried. "You have to calm down, or you'll bring this whole place down. I know you're furious and all but we will deal with this and mark my words, I give you a Marauder's Oath that Dumbledore and the Weasleys will pay for this."

Harry looked up at his godfather, tears of anger and sorrow welling in his eyes. "How could they do this?" he repeated. "How could Mr. and Mrs. Weasley agree to such a thing? And Dumbledore, was nothing really real in my life? Mrs. Weasley said that I was like a son to her, but was all I just a way to get money. They signed this less than a week after my parents were killed. Was nothing in my life my own?"

"Lord Potter, I apologize on behalf of Gringotts and the Goblin nation for not catching this," Sharpshard said. "It seemed that Albus Dumbledore had longer fingers than we suspected him to have. This contract, as Albus Dumbledore was never truly recognized as your magical guardian, is worth nothing and is null and void. Lord Black, since he was never convicted of a crime, wasn't deemed ineligible of being your magical guardian. We also have your parents' will here, Lord Potter, if you would like to see it."

"Yes thank Manager Sharpshard," Harry said thickly as his emotions were still warring within him. He took the sealed scroll and opened it. As he looked over his parents' final will and testament, Harry took notice of several points of the will. The first one was that under no circumstances was Harry supposed to be put in the care of the Dursleys unless it was just Petunia. James and Lily had left quite a long list of possible guardians including Sirius, Remus, the Longbottoms, Professor McGonagall, Amelia Bones and a family called Greengrass. The name rang a bell in Harry's head as he remembered a girl being called right after Hermione during their OWLs. Another point that jumped out at Harry was that Dumbledore was a witness to the Will, and knew that his parents wouldn't have wanted him anywhere near the Dursleys.

"Dumbledore," Harry grumbled. "It all comes back to Dumbledore. He knew that I wasn't to go to the Dursleys but sent me there anyway. How could he disregard my parents' wishes so easily?"

"I don't know Harry," Sirius said in a world-weary tone. "I just don't know perhaps he just grew to used to having all the answers and no one standing up to him. I mean he was Albus Dumbledore, the defeater of Grindelwald and the greatest Light wizard since Merlin. But now, he's just as bad as Voldemort. He uses people as sacrifices or just plain uses them to take the fall."

"What are we going to do now? I don't think I could face the Weasleys after learning about this contract," Harry said. "Especially Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and what about Ron, Ginny, the twins? Was my relationship with them all a lie just so they could get my money?"

"That's something you're going to have to figure out yourself Harry," Sirius said. "I'm not sure but from what I know about Arthur and his oldest, aside from Percy, they are all trustworthy but after seeing Arthur's signature on that _contract_ I'm not too sure anymore. Though, Arthur's Head of House seal wasn't on the parchment, so there's something wrong here."

"My Lord Potter, my Lord Black," Sharpshard said. Harry looked up at the goblin, he had forgotten they weren't alone in the room. "If you would like some time alone to discuss your options…"

"No, no Manager Sharpshard," Sirius said. "I believe that we have had enough surprises for the moment. I think it is time that we take our leave. Thank you very much for your time Manager Sharpshard."

"Actually Manager Sharpshard, if we could go down to my family's vault," Harry said. "My mother said that she left me something in our family's vault, and since I'm here I might as well as go down and take a look."

"Of course milord," Sharpshard said. "I will have a goblin met you outside to take you both down to the vaults."

"Thank you Manager Sharpshard," Harry said with a bow. Sirius bowed as well. Sharpshard rang a bell and the doors opened, reveling another goblin.

"This way sirs," the goblin said. Harry and Sirius bowed once more to Sharpshard before following the new goblin. They were led to the carts behind the main room of the bank and down to the Potter family vault.

Harry was stunned as the vault door hissed open. One half of the vault had mountains of Galleons, Sickles and Knuts arching toward the ceiling, the other half of the vault had dozens upon dozens of trunks and other heirlooms. Full sets of gleaming armors, shields, swords and other weapons shone brilliantly.

"So pup, where this trunk that Lily wanted you to have?" Sirius asked.

Harry looked around and walked deeper into the vault. Then at the very back of the vault, Harry spotted a weather-beaten wooden Hogwarts trunk. Harry's mother's name was painted on in green ink on the trunk; it looked liked decades old.

"Yeah, that's Lily's trunk," Sirius said. "I remember that paint job anywhere. When she was sorted into Gryffindor, Lily got some flack for having her name painted in green. Green meant Slytherin and back then, if you had anything representing Slytherin, you weren't going to be well liked. But that didn't dissuade Lily, she said it was her favorite color and she didn't care about all those House rivalries. She was the kindest person I ever met, and her nature allowed her to make friends with pretty much everyone she met."

Harry reverently traced his mother's name on the trunk. As soon as his fingers touched the smooth wood of the trunk, a jolt of lightning shot up Harry's arm.

"This is it," Harry said.

"How do you know? I wouldn't think that Lily would place someone so secretive in just her school trunk," Sirius said.

"I just know Sirius," Harry said. "I can feel it."

"All right pup," Sirius said. "Shrink it down and then we can get going." Harry nodded, and tapped the trunk with his wand. It quickly shrunk down to the size of a matchbox; Harry picked up the trunk and placed it in his pocket.

"Let's go," Harry said. He and Sirius followed the goblin back to the cart and to the surface. When they walked out of the bank, Harry had to shield his eyes from the sunlight.

"Padfoot, where are we going to go?" Harry asked. "You said that your place was out since Dumbledore is the Secret Keeper and could get in."

"True but I forgot that since I'm Lord Black, I can bare people from my properties," Sirius said. "I, Sirius Orion Black, Head of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black, bar Albus Percival Wulfric Dumbledore from all Black properties from this day henceforth."

There was a swirl of light that surrounded Sirius followed by a sharp snap, not unlike someone Apparating.

"What was that?" Harry asked.

"That was me taking control of Grimmauld Place's wards," Sirius said, shaking his head. "As the owner of the property, I have to be in on the Secret and the house's defenses are much older and stronger than anything Dumbledore could put up. So when I took control of wards and barred Dumbledore, the _Fidelius Charm_ that he put up collapsed."

"So Grimmauld Place then?" Harry asked.

"No," Sirius said. "I know somewhere better. Before I was arrested, I owned a flat in Muggle London, somewhere I could get away from the war. When I got out of Azkaban, I made sure to check on the flat and extend the lease. We'll go there, only James, Moony and I knew where it is. I'll send Moony a Patronus message telling him to met us there."

Harry nodded and took Sirius' offered arm and with a sharp CRACK they vanished from Diagon Alley.

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"Thank you for the escort Mr. Lupin, but we can handle things from here," Robert said. He threw the door shut before Remus could respond and quickly slammed the bolt shut.

"Daddy!" Hermione cried. "That was so…"

"SILENCE!" Robert shouted. "In the sitting room, now!"

Hermione had never seen her father act this way, she turned to her mother but what she saw sent her stomach plummeting. Emma Granger was glaring at her daughter, nodding. Hermione knew that she wouldn't be getting any help from her mother. Hermione marched into the sitting room and sat down, her parents following her and stood in front of her. Hermione looked down at the floor and fiddled with the hem of her skirt as she waited for her mother and father to speak.

"Hermione, your mother and I have come to a decision," Robert said. Hermione looked up. "You will not be returning to Hogwarts again!"

"What!" Hermione cried. "You can't do that! I'm a witch, I need to be at Hogwarts!"

"I don't care," Robert roared, spittle flying from his mouth. "You are forbidden from returning to that, that madhouse! And don't even think about seeing that _boy_ ever again!"

"But…"

"No buts Hermione," Emma said. "We almost lost you because of that boy, we were already losing you to that world. We will not allow you to see Harry again!"

"You can't do that, Harry's my best friend and my boyfriend! You were happy for us back at St. Mungo's!" Hermione shouted.

"I don't care," Robert shouted. "We were surrounded by those _freaks_, what else could we say if we wanted to get out of there alive!"

"What did you say?" Hermione asked quietly. "What did you call Harry, Sirius and Professor Lupin?"

A sneer spread over Mr. Granger's face. "What, a _freak_! That's right, you're all _freaks_! I can't believe that nutter of a Professor of yours even duped us six years ago. We should have just thrown her out for even coming here."

"So then," Hermione growled getting to her feet. "What am I then? Am I freak as well?"

"Of course not honey," Emma said quickly. "You are our daughter, you being anything like those _freaks_ couldn't be farther from the truth."

"But I'm a witch," Hermione said. "Professor McGonagall is a witch, Sirius, Professor Lupin and Harry are wizards. What makes me so different?"

"You are our daughter, that makes the all the difference in the world," Emma said.

"You are pathetic!" Hermione shouted. "You call all witches and wizards freaks, and yet I'm a witch, I was born a witch and I will die a witch, and yet you don't call me a freak."

"But honey, you aren't one of them," Robert said, his voice scratchy from shouting. "You are nothing like them."

"How so? I use magic, Harry can use magic," Hermione said. "What is so different between them and I?" Mr. and Mrs. Granger blinked. "You can't answer that can you!"

"Hermione, dear, we just want what's best for you," Emma pleaded. "How many times have you been almost killed because of that boy?"

"None of those were Harry's fault!" Hermione screamed. "Trouble just seems to find him, he doesn't go looking for it. And in the wizarding world, at least I can fight back! In your world, I wouldn't be able too. You are asking me to forget a piece of me, almost as if you are asking yourself to forget about each other, could you do that?" Mr. and Mrs. Granger froze and looked at one another. "I love Harry, I would do anything for him. You don't know anything about Harry; you barely talk to me anymore, we haven't talked since I went to Hogwarts."

"And whose fault is that?!" Robert shouted. "You are barely here! We don't see you for ten months of the year while you're up at the madhouse you call a school. You're never here over the holidays, when was the last time you stayed with us for a summer or winter hols instead of going off with those _freaks_?"

Hermione fell silent. Her father had a point. The last time she had spent any meaningful time her parents was before her third year. She had spent the winter holidays of her second, third and fourth year at Hogwarts, this past year she went to Grimmauld Place, leaving her parents alone of an expensive skiing trip to be with Harry and the others. The summer holidays were just as bad, while she had spent time at home it was always cut short as Hermione would leave after a month to go to the Burrow, or this past year going nearly straight to Grimmauld Place for safety, as Dumbledore said. But what about her parents, why weren't they sent somewhere to be safe or even come with her.

"I'm sorry you think that way mother, father," Hermione said. Mr. and Mrs. Granger looked up at Hermione formal use of words and tone. "You can't keep me from seeing Harry, or the magical world. I want you to experience it with me but…"

"Hermione, honey, we're not part of that world!" Robert cried. "And neither are you!"

"Yes I am!" Hermione snapped. "I am a witch and I will die a witch, no matter what you think. If you can't accept that, then perhaps I should leave and let you go on with your normal lives."

"You aren't going anywhere young lady," Robert growled. "You are our daughter and still underage. You will abide by our decision, you will be staying here and we will be reenrolling you in school and that's the end of it."

"I'm sorry you feel that way but that won't be happening," Hermione said. Without another word and tears streaming from her eyes, she dashed past her parents and up to her room. She quickly began throwing clothes into a backpack. More and more clothes disappeared into bag that Hermione had charmed with a weightless and Expansion charm before the school year ended. She jumped, as there came a pounding on her bedroom door.

"Hermione Granger! You open this door right now!" her father's voice ripped through the door. "What is the rule in this house, no locked doors! If you are not out in this hallway in three seconds, I won't hesitate to break down this door. One…two…three!"

CRASH!

Hermione yelped in fright as her father shoulder-slammed the door. It shook against the hinges. Gathering up the rest of her clothes and materials, she made her way toward her bedroom window. Just as Hermione had unlocked the window, the bedroom door was sent flying into the room and framed in the doorway was Robert Granger, breathing heavily.

"Where the bloody hell do you think you are going young lady?" Robert roared. "Get away from that window!"

"I'm getting away from you," Hermione screamed. "If you won't let me see Harry and go back to Hogwarts, then I'm not going to stay here." She climbed up onto the windowsill and stuck her head through.

"Oh no you don't," Robert shouted as he raced across the room. Hermione's eyes widened in fear as her father barred down on her, arms outstretched. Hermione felt a squeezing sensation and with a sharp CRACK, she vanished into thin air.

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Harry and Sirius reappeared in a dark room. "So that was Apparition?" Harry asked, rubbing his ears to get rid of the ringing.

"Yeah," Sirius said flicking his wand and turning on the lights. "It gets some getting used too. Though it's right useful, and saves your bits from aching on a broom or throwing up after a Portkey."

"So this is your flat?" Harry asked, looking around the room. It was sparsely furnished, though that was somewhat to be expected, as it hadn't been occupied in some time.

"Yep," Sirius said. "It isn't much but it's better than Grimmauld Place. And no one aside from Remus knows where it is."

"What about Wormtail?" Harry asked.

"No," Sirius said. "I never told him about this place. Each of us had safe houses during the War that the others didn't know about, though I told James about this one. It wasn't until after I escaped from Azkaban and after your third year that I told Remus." Harry nodded in acceptance of Sirius' answer. "Come on, let me show you around."

Sirius took Harry on a tour of the three-bedroom flat, the master bedroom, Harry's new room and the guest room where Remus would stay most of the time. The kitchen was up-to-date, as Sirius had had the flat refurbished when he escaped Azkaban. After the tour, Harry returned to his room and was about to open Lily's trunk when there came a knock at the front door. Harry's wand was in his hand before he even knew it.

"Sirius?" Harry called out.

"Don't worry pup, its just Moony," Sirius said.

Frowning, Harry made his way back to the sitting room and saw Sirius closing the front door behind Moony. "Remus, what are you doing here?" Harry asked. "You're supposed to be with Hermione and her parents!"

"Calm down cub," Remus said. "I know but Mr. Granger didn't seem to enjoy my company any longer than it took to escort the Grangers home. He didn't invite me in and slammed the door in my face as soon as they were inside."

"What!" Sirius and Harry cried.

"I stuck around for a few minutes, laying down some alarm wards," Remus said. "And while I was, I heard some raised voices coming from inside. It sounded like Mr. and Mrs. Granger were upset at the fact that Hermione hadn't told them everything that had happened at Hogwarts. I think that they thought they were going to lose their daughter to a world that they couldn't understand."

Sirius nodded. "I can see where they are coming from. Lily said that as the years went on during Hogwarts she lost touch with her parents, it's probably the same with a lot of Muggleborn families."

"Do you think that Hermione will be ok?" Harry said. "Her parents seemed really nice, scared for sure but Hermione always…actually, Hermione doesn't talk about her home life very much. This was the first time I'd ever met them, if you don't count seeing them for a few seconds before second year. You don't think that the Grangers are like the…Dursleys?"

Remus and Sirius shook their heads frantically. "No," Sirius said sharply. "The Dursleys are monsters, plain and simple. The Grangers care for Hermione very much and I think that, like Moony said, they are scared that they are losing their daughter to a world that they can't possibly hope to understand."

CRACK!

In the midst of the trio, a figure appeared, one with bushy brown hair and clutching a bag that seemed quite empty.

"Hermione!" Harry cried as he rushed over and pulled Hermione into his arms.

"Harry!" Hermione screamed as she buried her face into his chest.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Better question is; how did you get here? You don't know how to Apparate and the only people who know where this place is are me, Moony and now Harry."

"I don't know," Hermione whimpered. "I just had to get to Harry, and it happened. I felt like I was being squeezed through a rubber hose or something. But how could I Apparate, I don't know how too. I mean I've read about it but never tried it."

"It looks like it was accidental magic," Remus said.

"I did something similar when I was like seven," Harry said. "I was running from Dudley and his goons and suddenly I was on top of the school's kitchens. What?" he added, seeing the looks coming from Sirius, Remus and Hermione.

"Harry, do you know how much power it takes to Apparate at such a young age and without knowing how to do it?" Remus asked. Harry shook his head.

"Maybe we should get back to the reason that Hermione is here instead of with her parents," Harry suggested. Hermione flinched in Harry's arms, something that Harry noticed. "Mione, what's wrong?"

"My parents," she whispered. She then launched into a description of what happened after her father had slammed the door in Remus' face. Harry's face grew dark as the word _freak_ uttered from Hermione's mouth. He was reminded of the Dursleys and couldn't believe that the Grangers could be anything like them. His heart clenched when Hermione told them of her parents' threat to pull her from Hogwarts and forbid her from seeing Harry.

"But why?" he asked when Hermione had finished and had collapsed into sobbing against Harry's chest, soaking his shirt. "Why would the Grangers act so _Dursleyish_? They seemed so different at St. Mungo's, your mum seemed happy that we were getting together."

"They were faking it," Hermione whispered. "They said that because they were the only Muggles there, that they needed to act like they agreed and were happy so that we wouldn't use magic on them."

"WHAT!" Harry, Sirius and Remus roared, causing Hermione to flinch and bury herself more into Harry.

"We would never do that!" Sirius growled. "How could they think that?"

"Look at it from their point of view," Remus said. "They just found out that the Headmaster of their daughter's school had put her under a spell. So if you can't trust the Headmaster of your daughter's school, it isn't out of the realm of possibilities that the Grangers thought that one of us might do the same thing."

"He's got a point," Sirius said. "Remus was the logical one of the Marauders, at least until Lily joined. But something doesn't smell right."

"What do you mean Padfoot?" Harry asked.

"What if someone 'changed' the Grangers mind?" Sirius said. "I mean, I didn't get any feeling that Robert and Emma were acting when we were in the ward at St. Mungo's, they seemed happy that Harry and Hermione were getting closer. Sure they were angry that their daughter had been cursed but that's understandable."

"Sirius, we were with the Grangers the whole time, how anyone could have put them under a spell without us noticing is beyond me?" Remus said.

"I know but that's more likely than the Grangers acting like that normally," Sirius said.

"Fear, anger can do things to a person," Remus answered reasonably. "The Grangers probably feel that they are losing their daughter, and want to hold on to her as much as they can."

Sirius and Harry nodded, as Harry continued to rub small circles on Hermione's back, as her sobs grew softer.

**A/N: Well there you have the newest chapter of _Harry Potter: Jedi Mage_. The fight between Hermione and her parents is something that I worked on for a bit, still not sure if it is all that good, so I might go back to it later. The situation is something that I thought of to show more of the Grangers as well as bring up how some Muggleborn families might react to their children drifting away into a world that they couldn't really follow. JK Rowling really didn't give us anything on Hermione's parents in canon so I thought that this might be a somewhat believable reaction, if you have any suggestions on how to make it more believable message me or put it in a review and I'll give it a look. Enjoy,**

**S.R.W.M.O**


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